Justice Warriors
by C.A. Turner
Summary: Playing for charity, the World's greatest heroes test their skills and abilities on American Ninja Warrior! Written by Jason Adams
1. 1 Venice Qualifying

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the Power Rangers or JLA. They belong to Saban and DC Comics, respectively. And American Ninja Warrior belongs to NBC. I've really gotten into ANW over the past two years, even going back and watching every tournament of the original Japanese show, Sasuke, which belongs to the Tokyo Broadcasting Company. Anyhoo, enjoy this Elseworlds tale within C. A. Turner's MMPR/JLA Universe!

**Author's Note: **Italics indicate the broadcasters speaking and will be used during the competition. Anything that's not in italics is unrelated to the competition. Think of it as anything that wouldn't be shown during the broadcast.

**JUSTICE WARRIORS**

**PROLOGUE**

For the past two years, the Power Rangers had really gotten into a show called "American Ninja Warrior." It was an obstacle course competition show where whoever won actually won a cash prize of $500,000. However, the sixth season had just ended, and nobody had won yet. But that seemed to be part of the show's appeal: A competition where there was no guarantee that anybody was going to win. Since many of them were now old enough to compete (the required age was 21), they wanted to try out for the show. So they actually went out and built some obstacles to train on, each chipping in. Among the obstacles they built included a warped wall, a salmon ladder, and several balance and cliffhanger obstacles. Since she was dating Zack, Wonder Woman was at first the only Justice Leaguer who had interest in trying out. She had watched the show with Zack and the others and actually found it intriguing. Being an Amazon, she had some obvious advantages, but actually found the obstacles quite challenging. However, once she understood how everything worked, she was tearing it up in no time. Little by little, some of the Power Angels and some of the other Justice League members expressed interest and joined in, even offering to build more obstacles to train on at both the Satellite HQ and the Watchtower. Unbeknownst to everyone but Kelly, Batman had also built some obstacles in the Batcave and even did rock-climbing in the cave to help with his grip strength. Andros, Karone, and Zhane had even created some simulations on-board the MegaShip on which they and the other Lightstar Rangers could train on should they be off-world. They often spent whatever free time they had training, practicing, and working on their submission videos. They were all excited when they learned that they'd been accepted. The first two rounds of competition would be taking place in five cities: Venice, Dallas, St. Louis, Miami, and Denver. These would determine who went to the National Finals in Las Vegas to take on the world's toughest obstacle course: Mt. Midoriyama. The various Rangers and Justice Leaguers would be present in all five cities. As the days counted down, the excitement built up. And soon, it was time!

**1: VENICE QUALIFYING**

"_Hello, everyone, I'm Matt Iseman alongside former NFL defensive end Akbar Gbaja-Biamila, and tonight, we renew our quest to crown the first-ever American Ninja Warrior."_

"_That's right, Matt," agreed Akbar. "More and more people are craving the opportunity to conquer Mt. Midoriyama. In addition to several returning veterans and many rookies, we also have a few surprise entrants to watch out for."_

"_Indeed," said Matt. "For the first time in history, we actually have real, live superheroes competing! You heard that right, several members of the Justice League of America have actually expressed interest in running our course! How exciting is that, Akbar?"_

"_Oh, it's very exciting, but it's also been met with a lot of controversy. Many people have cried foul because of this, but after intense negotiations, an agreement was reached with the competing Justice League members that should any of them win this competition, they will not keep the prize money for themselves, but instead, will donate it to the charity of their choice."_

"_But, you gotta admit, Akbar, controversy or no controversy, this is going to be an exciting season." As Akbar nodded in agreement, Matt continued, "And joining us this year in the booth, one of the Justice League's own, the Black Canary! She will be giving us the athletic backgrounds of the various Justice Leaguers…and whether or not they can make the grade." Turning to the guest broadcaster, Matt said, "Black Canary, welcome to the American Ninja Warrior family."_

_Black Canary, in her classic uniform, smiles and says, "I'm glad to be here, Matt. Thanks for having me. It's an honor to be with you and Akbar. But, let's get this year started… first things first, everyone must first get past the qualifying round."_

"_You are so right…um…is it Black Canary, BC, or…" Matt asks._

"_Well…my identity isn't a secret…so just call me Dinah."_

"_Ok…Dinah. And for more on what our competitors will be facing, let's go down to the fourth member of our team, Jenn Brown."_

_Jenn Brown stood in front of the course as she stated, "Thanks, Matt. Our trip to Mt. Midoriyama begins with six obstacles our competitors must face here in Venice Qualifying, starting with the Quintuple Steps. Competitors must traverse five angled platforms before moving on to the next obstacle. Touch the water, and they're out. Next is the Utility Pole Slider, where competitors must hold onto the handles as they ride the pole down a twelve-foot track. Next is the Bridge of Blades, which competitors must race across without using their hands. After that is the Rope Swing into the Cargo Net, where competitors must bounce off a mini-trampoline and use the two ropes to reach the cargo net and climb underneath. Then, it's the Ring Toss, in which competitors must traverse three planks using the two rings provided. And last, but not least, it's the infamous, fourteen-foot high Warped Wall. Competitors will have only three attempts to scale it. Succeed, and you've automatically guaranteed yourself a spot in the Venice City Finals. Matt, back up to the three of you."_

The competing Rangers and Justice Leaguers were all hanging out together, looking at the course and taking everything in while they snacked and had some cold drinks. Hal Jordan asked the assembled Morphin, Zeo, and Lightstar Rangers, "Where's Zack?"

"He and Diana are going to be competing in Dallas with Kelly," answered Jason Lee Scott. "Since…you-know-who can't guarantee that he'll be able to compete, Zack and Diana went with her so she'd at least have some company. The Hardys and Nancy will be there, too."

"Where's Rocky?" asked Kris Munroe.

"He's going to be competing in Miami with Christy," answered Tanya Sloan.

Adam Park continued, "Her dad is currently stationed in Fort Benning, GA, so she wanted to go there in the hopes that he'd be able to come down and watch."

"And I know that you're glad your sister Jessica's here to watch us here in Venice," added Tommy Oliver, getting a nod from the Red Zeo Ranger.

"Trey, Julie, and Will are going to be competing in Miami, too," said Jill Munroe. "Julie's scheduled to do a photoshoot a couple of days before the competition."

"Where are the Partridges?" asked Jamie Zedden.

"Keith, Laurie, and Bill will be competing in Denver with Eve since her family lives there," answered Kimberly Hart-Oliver. "Chris and Tracy went with them for support since they're not old enough to compete."

T. J. Johnson then added, "Andros, Zhane, and Karone with be there, too."

Looking at Ashley Hammond, Carlos Vallerte asked, "Are you nervous?"

"Very," admitted Ashley. "But it's an excited nervous. I can't wait to hit the course!"

"Where's Cassie?" asked Daniel Aydelott.

"She's going to be competing in St. Louis, along with Elle, Megan, and Tiffany," answered Aisha Campbell. "The BAU just finished a case, so Spencer and Daryl will be there."

"Aaron, my mother, and my kids will be here watching me compete," said Sabrina Duncan. Turning to Andrea Thomas, she asked, "What about the other Justice Leaguers?"

"Well, I'll be competing here as myself," answered Andrea. "J'onn will also compete here in Venice, but he'll be in his Martian Manhunter form."

"Superman will be competing in St. Louis, as will Black Canary, Barry, Hyde, Jackie, and the Dino Thunder Rangers," said Billy Cranston.

"And Firestorm will be competing in Miami as Ronnie Raymond, along with Hawkman, Hawkwoman, and Trey." finished Trini Kwan. Looking around, she added, "I think it's almost time to start. Wonder what Dinah is going to say about our competing abilities?"

"I'm so excited!" shouted Samantha Dean as she began jumping up and down enthusiastically. "Let's get ready to rumble!"

David Truehart asked Katherine Hillard, "You got any butterflies in your stomach?"

"I do," admitted Kat with a nod. "Hopefully, they'll settle down by the time my turn comes around."

Several competitors had already taken to the course…and many of them had failed. Only Kevin Bull and James "The Beast" McGrath had completed the course thus far. But, now, the first of the Rangers were ready to take to the course.

"_Up next is Jason Lee Scott, a martial arts instructor from Angel Grove, California," said Matt. "Here to support Jason is his rather large group of friends and fellow competitors, whom we'll see compete later tonight, including his girlfriend Jamie Zedden." The timer started and Jason was off! "And off he goes, taking a cautious approach on the Quintuple Steps."_

"_It's probably best that he does, Matt," said Akbar. "Typically, this course doesn't favor a guy of his size, so energy conservation is key."_

"_Yes, Jason is certainly one of the bigger competitors we'll see tonight, but no problems so far as he gets through the Utiltity Pole Slider easily, then sprints and dives through the Bridge of Blades!" Black Canary commented. Jason landed hard, but quickly got back to his feet. _

"_Ooh, a hard landing!" exclaimed Akbar. "Let's hope that doesn't come back to haunt him."_

_Black Canary then added, "It could, but remember, this guy's a champion martial artist, so, like me, he should know how to take a hit."_

_Matt said, "Jason takes a deep breath and bounds off the trampoline, what agility for the big guy!"_

"_Wow! He's swinging and makes it to the cargo net with no problems!" exclaimed Akbar. "His feet look tangled up, but he's managed to get his back onto the platform, saving a ton of upper-body strength!"_

_Matt continued, "Now, if he can get his feet untangled, he can take on the Ring Toss, which will be the first true test of his upper-body strength." Jason took a deep breath and grabbed the rings, placing them one peg at a time. "I like his approach, quick but measured. It looks like he doesn't want to spend any more time on here than he has to."_

"_And notice how he's got his arms bent at a ninety-degree angle," said Akbar. "As long as he can keep his arms in that position, it should help limit the stress on his muscles."_

"_And with his long wingspan, the reaches seem to be no problem as he's transferring from plank to plank with little difficulty. He's through. Now for the Warped Wall…and he can't get up it on his first go!"_

_Black Canary then spoke, "Oh, wow, he stumbled bad. But notice how he's not panicking. He knows he's got two more tries. But he can't afford another mistake like that." Jason took a moment to compose himself before trying again…and succeeding! "There you go!"_

"_And the rookie does it!" exclaimed Matt. "He hits the buzzer and Jason Lee Scott is moving on to the Venice City Finals!" Jason's friends cheered as he got down from the top of the wall to be interviewed by Jenn Brown._

"_Jason, you did it, your first time on the course and you dominated! What did you think?"_

"_It was great," said Jason with a smile. "I've never experienced anything like it and I want to do it again."_

_Jenn smiled and said, "Well, you'll get your chance, because you are moving on the Venice City Finals."_

_Jason gave a fist-pump and said, "Awesome. Hopefully, Jamie and my friends can join me." He then approached his friends, gave Jamie a quick kiss, and began slapping high-five with the others._

_Matt then said, "Approaching the starting line is Adam Park, a student and martial artist from Angel Grove, hoping to join his friend Jason in the Venice City Finals." The timer sounded, giving Adam his cue to start. "And here he goes, bounding through the Quintuple Steps, amazing! No hesitation as he grabs the Utility Pole Slider."_

"_But the Bridge of Blades is going to be tricky," said Akbar. "Look at that! He sprinted through, and the bridge barely moved!"_

"_Adam pauses and readies himself before he hits the trampoline."_

_Black Canary smiled, then said, "I like that, he's centering himself because he doesn't want to make a mistake, and there he goes!"_

"_Good swing and catches the cargo net with his foot and crawls underneath, amazing!" cried Matt._

"_But now he's gotta tackle the Ring Toss, which is no small feat," said Akbar. Adam grabbed the rings and began moving quickly and precisely. "Look at this! He's flying through the Ring Toss! If there's one way to fight fatigue, that's using speed!"_

"_And he's through, no hesitation as he sprints up the Warped Wall!" yelled Matt in amazement. "And Adam Park has just turned in the fastest time of the night so far!" Adam's friends cheered for him as he bowed and waved to the crowd with a smile on his face._

_Matt said, "Up next at the starting line is our first Justice Leaguer of the night. She's the Red Power Angel, it's Jill Munroe." _

_Black Canary smiled as the timer sounded and Jill took off. "Nice two-footed technique through the Quintuple Steps."_

"_She's through the first obstacle," said Akbar. "The Utility Pole Slider shouldn't be a problem." And he was right, as Jill made it through with ease. Before either Matt or Akbar could utter another word, she then sprinted through the Bridge of Blades, just narrowly avoiding running into one of the blades as it tilted! "Oh, wow, Matt, did you see that?"_

"_I did and everyone is on their feet, they love Jill Munroe!" Kris, Hal, and Dan were watching and following, cheering her every move. "And look at this, no hesitation as she bounces off the mini-tramp and grabs hold of the rope!"_

"_And look at this, Matt, she's got good momentum and she's using that to her advantage as she reaches the other rope and swings into the cargo net!"_

"_And Jill is quickly underneath, amazing! But now comes the Ring Toss, which has already taken out several strong competitors. And look at this!" Jill was quickly placing the rings across the pegs, swinging from side-to-side and moving at a quick pace._

"_Look at this!" cried Akbar. "She's making the Ring Toss look easy!" Jill quickly traversed across the three planks and swung to safety._

"_And she's through," said Matt. "But now comes the Warped Wall. Very few women have ever attempted it, much less completed it. Can Jill add her name to that list?" _

"_My heartfelt opinion…yes. Jill is one of the most athletic and heartiest people I know, she loves a good challenge!" Black Canary stated. _

_After taking a moment to compose herself, she took off and made it up in one try! "Yes, she can! Dinah, you were definitely right about Jill!" Akbar smiled. _

_As Jill slammed the buzzer, Matt exclaimed, "And Jill Munroe has joined an elite group of women who have managed to complete the qualifying course and look at this!" As she celebrated on top of the wall, Jill treated the crowd to an impromptu fireworks display, much to everyone's delight!_

"_Showoff!" Black Canary giggled._

_Once the celebration died down, Matt continued, "Up next is Jill's boyfriend Hal Jordan, an Air Force pilot who says he plans to go for the fastest time."_

"_That's all good, Matt," said Akbar, "but Adam Park's time is going to be tough to be." Noticing that Hal was sporting his father's bomber jacket, Akbar continued, "That bomber jacket he's wearing actually belonged to his father, who died when Hal was still a child." _

"_That's right. Hal is another good friend of mine, and he told me that since that fateful day, he always swore he would wear it right," Black Canary stated._

"_Is he actually going to compete in it?" asked Mat. His question was answered when Hal smiled and began to unzip it. "No, look at this!" Hal took off the jacket, revealing a white sleeveless t-shirt that said, "NO FEAR," in big, bold, black letters._

_Hal tossed the jacket to Jill, who shook her head and smiled saying, "What a ham. And Dinah just called me a showoff!"_

_Hal smirked and quipped, "Nice to know you care." Jill could only shake her head as the timer went off._

"_And there he goes, bounding through the Quintuple Steps, leaps onto the Utility Pole Slider, and dives through the Bridge of Blades!" Matt barely had time to say all of this as Hal burst through the first three obstacles in less than ten seconds!_

"_WHAT?" cried Akbar. Hal quickly got to his feet, backed up slightly so he would have more room to run towards the trampoline, and hit it as hard as he could. "Hal Jordan really is showing no fear! And he's already onto the cargo net!"_

"_Jordan with a reckless pace, and now here he is onto the Ring Toss," said Matt. "And look at him go!" Hal got the ring in his right hand onto the first peg on the third plank before swinging from side-to-side to build momentum. He swung for the dismount and made it, before running up the Warped Wall on his first go! _

_Dinah then shouted, "And he's done it, Hal Jordan with the fastest time of the night so far!"_

"_Wow, he just blew Adam Park's time out of the water by almost 15 seconds!" exclaimed Akbar. Adam could only applaud what Hal had just done. The crowd was pretty excited, too, as Hal had completed the qualifying course in less than a minute._

"_Let's go down to Jenn Brown," said Matt._

"_Hal, you were amazing out there," said Jenn. "Your first time on the course and you just blew through it like a pro!"_

"_That was my intention," said Hal with a nod._

"_You said you wanted the fastest time? Well, for the moment, you've got it. You beat Adam Park's time by nearly 15 seconds."_

"_Awesome," said Hal as he did a fist-pump. "Sorry to take the top time away from him that way, but you can't have fear if you want to succeed on this course."_

"_I like it, I like it," said Jenn. "Go celebrate with Jill and your friends, and we will see you in the Venice City Finals." Hal kissed Jill and slapped five with the others as they congratulated him._

_Matt said, "Up next at the starting line is another Air Force pilot, Daniel Aydelott, and, Akbar, he and Hal Jordan have something of a friendly rivalry."_

"_Yeah, but I talked to Dan earlier today, and he said he wasn't planning on going for the fastest time, he was just going to go at the pace that he felt was right for him."_

_The timer sounded and Dan was off. Matt said, "And here he goes, bounding through the Quintuple Steps, but taking a more measured approach. Next is the Utility Pole Slider…and he's through."_

"_Now for the Bridge of Blades," said Akbar. "He takes a moment,…and sprints through! That's how you tackle the Bridge of Blades!"_

"_Off the mini-tramp, and he's got the rope. He transfers to the second, leaps,…and look how low he got on the cargo net!" yelled Dinah._

"_Wow, he just saved himself a ton of upper-body strength right there," said Akbar. "Let's see if that helps him on the Ring Toss." After taking a moment to collect himself, he began steadily making his way through. "I like what he's doing here, swinging from side-to-side, trying to keep the lactic acid from building up in his arms."_

"_Well, from what Hal has told me, this guy is a man of many talents," said Dinah. "He sings, he plays the guitar, his parents actually taught him ninjutsu, and he even tap dances!"_

"_An Air Force pilot, a singer, a guitar player, a tap dancer, AND an actual ninja?" asked Akbar. "This course was MADE for Daniel Aydelott!" Dan then made his dismount onto the landing platform._

"_And he's through the Ring Toss," continued Matt. "He takes a moment, collects himself, and explodes up the Warped Wall!" Dan pulled himself up, hit the buzzer, and screamed as he tore his shirt off Hulk Hogan-style, much to the delight of most of the women in the crowd! Kris could only blush as she saw her boyfriend showing off. But she didn't have much time to think about it as it was her turn next._

"_Our next competitor is Kris Munroe, the Yellow Power Angel, and younger sister of Jill Munroe, who we saw run just a short time ago," said Matt. The timer sounded and Kris began, jumping onto the first step. "And Kris taking a more cautious approach on the Quintuple Steps than her sister and boyfriend. And she's through." As Kris grabbed the Utility Pole Slider, Matt continued, "You know, Akbar, I talked to Kris earlier today, and she told me that although she is excited to be here, the one thing she fully acknowledges is that Jill is the athlete in the family, not her, which may explain her more safe approach to this course."_

"_Well, the mark of any athlete is understanding your strengths and weaknesses," said Dinah. "And look at her sprint across the Bridge of Blades!"_

"_Dives for the landing platform and a hard impact!" cried Matt._

_Kris stood up and turned to the crowd, saying, "I'm okay." This caused everyone to applaud as she took a few test bounces on the mini-tramp._

"_Says she's okay, and is testing the trampoline," said Matt. "And I think that's a testament to your point, Dinah, understanding your strengths and weaknesses."_

"_Absolutely, and here she goes!" Kris bounced off and grabbed the first rope, reached for the second rope, and held on to both ropes, building momentum to help her reach the cargo net. "And she's on the net, but she may have used up precious upper-body strength, which she's going to need here on the Ring Toss."_

"_Kris taking her time to rest before tackling the Ring Toss, which has already claimed several strong competitors," said Matt. "And here she goes, off to a good start. She's on the second plank, but her left ring seems to be hung up. She's got it, oh, and she misses the placement!"_

_Kris was dangling by her right arm. She had a look of panic on her face, but she managed to reach up and place the left ring onto the proper peg. "Oh, wow, that was a scary moment for the Yellow Power Angel!" said Dinah. "A good recovery, but the longer she's on the Ring Toss, the more taxing it becomes on her arms."_

"_Onto the third plank now," said Matt. "But she misses the left ring placement again! She drops the left ring and is Munroe is hung up!"_

"_She's hanging on for dear life!" cried Akbar. Her friends and the crowd were crying out in worry as Kris was forced to hold on to the one ring she had left! As she tried to swing, Akbar encouraged her, saying, "Don't panic, Kris! Try and build that momentum! Come on!"_

"_Trying to swing back and forth, can her grip hold out? Going for the dismount and she made it!" Kris had successfully managed to swing and jump safely onto the landing platform! She laid there for several moments as her friends and the crowd cheered her on. As she finally started to get to her feet, Matt said, "A great save, but her work isn't done yet. But the question is, Akbar, does she have anything left for the Warped Wall?"_

_Jill, Dan, and Hal had been following Kris alongside the course and were shouting words of encouragement to her. "Don't rush it, take your time!" cried Dan._

_From the booth, Dinah shouted "Try not to overtax yourself. Keep it at your own pace!"_

_Kris had crouched down to catch her breath and stretch her arms. She then ran towards the Warped Wall…and stumbled badly. "First run at the Warped Wall, and, Akbar, that wasn't even close," said Matt_

"_Yeah, all that time on the Ring Toss definitely took its toll," agreed Akbar._

_Jill yelled to her sister, "Come on, you can do this! We've trained for this! Come on!"_

_Kris took her second run at the wall. This time she actually managed to get one hand on top of the wall! However, it wasn't enough as she fell back to the bottom._

_Knowing this was her last chance, the crowd started chanting, "BEAT THAT WALL! BEAT THAT WALL!" Kris' friends had joined in, louder than everyone else._

_Hal yelled, "Don't give in, Kris! Give it everything you've got! Everything!"_

"_Kris' sister, her friends, her boyfriend, the other competitors, and the crowd all behind Kris Munroe, they really want to see her make it to the top of the Warped Wall," said Akbar._

_Matt continued, "Final attempt…" When she was finally ready, Kris ran towards the wall, reached for the top,…and succeeded! "Yes! She's got it!" Kris slowly pulled herself up, crawled towards the buzzer, and hit it, causing everyone in attendance to explode into cheers. Kris just laid there exhausted as everyone cheered. When she finally stood up, she just leaned down, her hands upon her thighs as she tried to catch her breath. When she finally stood upright, she smiled and waved to the crowd in appreciation before blowing a kiss towards Dan. She then pointed towards the sky and let out a streak of lightning in celebration, causing everyone to erupt once more._

_Once she got down from the wall, Kris went over and hugged Jill as Jenn Brown approached. Both sisters turned to the blonde interviewer as she said, "Kris, congratulations, you made through, but you had me so nervous there on the Ring Toss. What was going through your mind as you hung there?"_

"_Honestly, I didn't think I was going to make it," admitted the Yellow Power Angel. "Missing those ring placements took a lot more out of me than I thought, and all I could think was, if Brent Steffensen couldn't defeat the Ring Toss, what chance did I have? But, somehow I did."_

_Jenn smiled and said, "Well, I am happy to say that you and Jill are the first pair of sisters to complete the qualifying course and we will see you both in the Venice City Finals."_

"_We'll be ready," said Jill with a smile. "Venice Finals, watch out!" They then turned to their boyfriends for a celebratory kiss before celebrating with the rest of their friends._

_Back in the booth, Matt, Akbar, and Dinah were actually trying to catch their collective breaths after Kris' dramatic run. Turning to Canary, Matt said, "Well, Black Canary, we now have two Justice Leaguers moving on to the Venice Finals, but did you ever think we would see the drama we just had with Kris Munroe?"_

"_Absolutely not," admitted Canary. "But that's the beauty of this competition: You never know when or where a hero will arise."_

"_Well, if the Yellow Power Angel was able to give us that kind of drama, I'm looking forward to seeing what the other Justice Leaguers can do," said Akbar. "And speaking of Justice Leaguers, when can we expect to see you on the course, Dinah?"_

"_You'll see me compete in St. Louis," answered Dinah. "I'm going to try and have a more controlled run than what we just saw, but you never know what's going to happen, because I know that there are going to be different obstacles there than what we're seeing tonight."_

After Kris' run, returning veterans Kyle Cochran, Derek Nakamoto, Evan "Rocket" Dollard, and "The Original Beast" Alan Connealy completed the course, securing their spots in the Venice Finals. Soon, it was time for the next Ranger to begin.

_Matt said, "Taking on the course right now is Tanya Sloan, girlfriend of Adam Park, whom we saw compete earlier." The timer sounded and Tanya began. "Taking a cautious approach on the Quintuple Steps. And she's through."_

"_Come on, Tanya, you can do this," said Adam as he watched from beside the course._

"_The Utility Pole Slider shouldn't be a problem, but the Bridge of Blades is a different story," said Akbar. Tanya easily made it through the Utility Pole Slider, but decided to try something different on the Bridge of Blades. _

"_What's this, is she trying to angle the bridge?" asked a curious Black Canary._

"_Looks that way, going across the middle, a bit unsteady, but it worked!" cried Matt. "Now off the trampoline and she's got the first rope." Tanya began swinging out of control and spinning around, but managed to grab the second rope. "She's got the second rope and is trying to steady herself."_

"_Reaches for the net, but can't quite grab it!" cried Akbar. "This is bad for Tanya Sloan. She's all over the place!"_

"_Finally manages to reach the net with her foot," said Matt. "Now, tries to grab the net, NO!" Tanya had failed to grab the net with her hands and fell into the water, eliminating her. Adam let out a look of anguish as he crouched down and shook his head. As Tanya pulled herself out of the water, Matt asked, "Akbar, what just happened?"_

"_Well, Matt, it looked like she let go of the rope prematurely as she reached for the net. As a result, she almost missed the net completely. Once that happened, she had no chance at recovering. Having just her foot on the net couldn't save her." Tanya shook her head in disappointment as Adam consoled her with a hug._

_Matt said, "Looking to get things back on track is Kimberly Hart-Oliver, a fashion designer and former gymnast from Angel Grove, California." The timer sounded and Kimberly took off. _

_Dinah said, "Using both feet to hop through the Quintuple Steps."_

"_Great balance there from Kimberly Oliver," said Akbar. "That gymnastics training served her well."_

_Matt continued, "And through the Utility Pole Slider, now taking long strides as she bounds through the Bridge of Blades!"_

"_Wow! Did you see that, Matt? The bridge barely budged!" cried Akbar._

_Dinah continued, "Now, testing the mini-tramp. Bounces and grabs the first rope. But, Akbar, she's not much bigger than Kacy Catanzaro, so this obstacle is going to be a challenge."_

"_Yeah, it is," agreed Akbar as Kim grabbed the second rope and began swinging side-to-side repeatedly. "That's why she's building as much momentum as she can before reaching out for the cargo net. Look at the leap!"_

"_Wow! Great grab onto the cargo net!" exclaimed Matt. Kimberly had jumped off of the second rope and grabbed the net in mid-air! Tommy was yelling and pumping his fist as he watched his wife run. "Great transition and she's through! But now, onto the Ring Toss, and Akbar, this is going to be a real test."_

"_Yes, it is. Let's just hope all that time she spent on the ropes didn't use up a lot of her strength." Quickly, but carefully, Kimberly made her way across the first plank. She appeared to get stuck as she got onto the second plank, but was able to transition. _

"_So far, so good, but those arms have to be burning right now," observed Black Canary_

"_Maybe, but she's gutting through it," said Matt. "What determination she's showing and she's onto the third plank."_

"_You go, girl!" cried Akbar. Kim then decided to go for the dismount and made it easily. "And now for the Warped Wall. Matt, we saw three women make it up the Warped Wall last year. We might see our third make it up the wall tonight alone!"_

"_First attempt and comes up a few inches short," said Matt. "Taking a moment now to collect herself, she knows she's only got two attempts left." Kim then tried again and succeeded. "She did it!" As Kim hit the buzzer and began jumping around in excitement, Matt exclaimed, "And Kimberly Oliver becomes the third woman tonight to complete the qualifying course!" Once she got down, she ran into Tommy's arms and the two celebrated with a big kiss. However, they couldn't celebrate long as Tommy was up next._

_Matt said, "Well, that is a tough act to follow, especially when it's your wife, but Tommy Oliver is going to try and join Kimberly on top of the Warped Wall and reach the Venice Finals." When the timer sounded, Tommy immediately took off! "Bounding through the Quintuple Steps and jumps onto the Utility Pole Slider, wow!"_

"_Is this guy really a rookie, because right now, he's not showing it?" asked Akbar. Tommy then used his long legs to his advantage as he stepped onto the Bridge of Blades, diving for the platform. "This is amazing!"_

_Tommy then stepped back, took a deep breath, and bounced off the trampoline. He grabbed the first rope, grabbed the second rope almost immediately, and was able to reach out and grab the net. "Already onto the cargo net, and Dinah, he's making it look easy!" exclaimed Matt._

"_Yeah, he is, but the Ring Toss could be the equalizer," said Dinah. "Let's see how he handles it."_

"_Taking a measured approach," said Matt. "But, Akbar, he doesn't appear to be in a hurry. Will that hurt him here?"_

"_It could, but at the same time, he knows this obstacle has taken out a lot of competitors."_

_Dinah agreed. "Slow and steady may not be an ideal approach, but it is a safe approach. All he has to do is finish."_

_Matt continued, "And he's through, now onto the Warped Wall, and up in one go! Tommy Oliver has punched his ticket to the city finals, and Akbar, the success continues!" _

"_And he made it look easy!" exclaimed Akbar. "He took his time on the Ring Toss, but he looked completely confident through the whole course. And that confidence carried him to the top of the Warped Wall."_

"_Let's go down to Jenn Brown."_

_As Tommy gave Kimberly a kiss, Jenn said, "Tommy, congratulations, you went through our course like you've done this a thousand times before. How did it feel to get to the top of the Warped Wall?"_

"_Awesome," answered Tommy. "But my work's not done yet. This is just the first step towards Mt. Midoriyama, and it's just awesome to have my beautiful wife doing this along with me." Kimberly blushed as Tommy had his arm around her._

_Jenn smiled and said, "Well, speaking of your wife, I am happy to say that the two of you have just made history. You are the first married couple to make it through to the city finals."_

"_And we plan on being the first married couple to earn our spots in Vegas together," said a clearly excited Kimberly._

"_Matt, Akbar, Canary, you heard it here first: Tommy and Kimberly Oliver plan on becoming the first husband and wife duo to move on to Mt Midoriyama. Back up to you guys."_

_Matt said, "Thanks, Jenn, and Akbar, Dinah, that's a very bold statement."_

"_Yeah, it is, Matt," said Akbar, "but we've still got a ways to go here in qualifying."_

"_True, but it's not bragging if you can back it up," added Dinah._

"_We just saw Tommy Oliver put on a clinic," said Matt. "Now, his brother is at the starting line, hoping to do the same. It's David Truehart." The timer sounded. "And David with a two-footed approach. He's through the Quintuple Steps."_

"_Not exactly how his brother did it, but he is through," said Akbar._

"_Yes, he got through, and that's all that matters," said Dinah._

_As David went down the Utility Pole Slider and through the Bridge of Blades, Matt said, "And there's Tommy, Kimberly, his girlfriend Katherine, and his father Sam Truehart walking alongside the course, giving him encouragement." He then bounced off the trampoline and grabbed the first rope. "Good bounce, he's got the first rope, now the second."_

"_Now, he's starting to mirror his brother," said Akbar with a chuckle. "And there he goes, onto the cargo net."_

"_He's through the first four obstacles, now on to the Ring Toss," said Matt. _

_Unlike Tommy, David swung from side-to-side as he placed the rings along the planks. Black Canary said, "Taking a different approach than his brother, but it seems to be working so far."_

"_Yeah, he's already onto the second plank, now he's going for the third." Once he got the right ring onto the third plank, he immediately let go of the left ring and began swinging. "Is he trying to go for the dismount already?" asked Akbar in surprise._

"_Looks like this is what he wanted to do," said Matt. "And he's through. Now, he's staring down the Warped Wall." David closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and ran towards the wall. "He's got it! And David Truehart joins his brother on top of the Warped Wall!" _

_After hitting the buzzer, David cried out, "Yeah!" Tommy, Kimberly, Kat, and Sam were applauding, none more so than Kat. Sam, although he wasn't clapping as hard, had a look of pride on his face._

"_His brother, his sister-in-law, his girlfriend, and his father all applauding him," said Matt. "David Truehart is moving on."_

"_And just look at the smile on Sam Truehart's face," said Dinah with a smile of her own. "That is one proud papa, and rightfully so."_

"_Up next is Carlos Vallerte, a student and soccer player at Angel Grove University." The timer sounded, signaling the start of Carlos' run. Matt said, "Using a good two-footed approach to the Quintuple Steps, and he's through." He then made it through the Utility Pole Slider with no problem._

"_Alright, let's see his approach on the Bridge of Blades." Carlos then went onto the bridge. However, he wasn't very light on his feet as the bridge tilted. He ran chest-first into one of the blades, which sent him crashing to the mat and ending his night early. "Ooh!" grimaced Akbar as Carlos smacked into the blade. _

"_That's gotta hurt!" exclaimed Black Canary with a visible wince. "He's gonna feel that in the morning." Ashley, who had been walking alongside the course, gasped and placed her hands over her mouth in concern as her boyfriend fell hard. Fortunately, Carlos appeared to be okay as he managed to stand up and walk off on his own power. He was holding his chest, but he would be okay._

"_And Carlos Vallerte out on the Bridge of Blades," said Matt with a grimace of his own._

"_Things went downhill for Carlos almost immediately," said Akbar. "The bridge seemed to tilt right when he stepped onto it. Soccer may have taught him good footwork, but tonight, it failed him."_

"_Hoping he can do better is our next competitor, T. J. Johnson." The timer sounded and T. J. began. "A cautious approach on the Quintuple Steps. He's through."_

"_He's got the Utility Pole Slider," said Akbar. "He clears it easily. Now, let's see if he can make it past where his friend Carlos just went down." T. J. then sprinted easily through the Bridge of Blades._

"_He does, and goes right into the tramp. He makes it onto the rope!" T. J. was almost moving faster than Matt could talk as he transitioned to the second rope. "Building momentum and leaps onto the net! T. J. Johnson having no problems on this course!"_

"_But now comes the tricky part," said Dinah. "Can he get through the Ring Toss?"_

_As he slowly made his way across, Matt said, "Seems to be okay so far…oh, misses a ring placement!" T. J. appeared to be struggling as he lunged upward to correct himself. "He recovers, but, Akbar, he does not look comfortable here on the Ring Toss."_

"_No, he doesn't, but right now, he's got to put that out of his mind and just press forward."_

"_Trying to do just that, but misses another placement!" exclaimed Matt. As his friends and the crowd tried to urge T. J. on, Matt said, "Johnson trying desperately to get that left ring up, but can't seem to build enough momentum. Johnson's in trouble!" Finally, T. J. couldn't hold on any longer as he lost his grip and fell into the water._

"_Matt, Akbar, T. J. seemed to be in trouble from the start," said Black Canary. "That first miss was a tell-tale sign. He spent so much energy trying to recover that it wore him out. He struggled so much after that second miss, he had no chance." Aisha could only bury her face in her hands as T. J. walked off, shaking his head in disgust._

_Trying to get things back on track, Matt said, "Getting ready now is our third Justice Leaguer of the night. It's Sabrina Duncan, the Blue Power Angel."_

"_Bree is the Power Angels' unofficial leader, and one reason for that is because she's always in control," said Black Canary. "When she sets her mind to something, she always sees it through to the end, and I believe that approach will work well on this course."_

_The timer sounded, signaling the start of Sabrina's run. Matt began, "Taking a two-footed approach, whoa, stumbles, but manages to grab onto the third step!"_

"_Wow, that was a close call," said Akbar as everyone let out a collective sigh of relief. "But notice how she's not panicking. She takes a moment to compose herself and now she leaps to the fourth step."_

"_Onto the fifth step now," said Dinah. "She's through. And THAT'S why she's the leader of the Power Angels: She found herself in a difficult position, but she didn't let it rattle her. And she's moving on."_

"_Through the Utility Pole Slider with no problem," continued Matt. "And there's Sabrina's mother, her boyfriend, and her kids in the crowd, here to cheer her on." Sabrina then proceeded to angle the Bridge of Blades with her foot so that she could run across the middle._

"_Wow, look at this, hopping across the middle of the Bridge of Blades!" exclaimed Akbar. "And look at this!" Without a moment's hesitation, she bounded off the trampoline and grabbed the first rope._

"_She's got the second rope, now get to that net," encouraged Canary. Sabrina managed to grab the cargo net with one hand before letting go of the rope with the other._

"_And I like what she's doing here," said Matt. "Trying to get to the platform as fast as she can to save her strength."_

"_Alright, now comes the tricky part," said Akbar. "Can she follow in the footsteps of her fellow Power Angels Jill and Kris?"_

"_So far, so good," said Canary. "She placing the rings on the pegs and swinging from side-to-side to keep her arms from getting tired."_

"_And just look at her go," said Matt. "Easily the best performance we've seen through the Ring Toss. But now, she faces the Warped Wall." Sabrina took a moment to stand in front of the wall, her eyes focused on the top._

"_And just look at that focus, Matt," said Akbar. "She's looking at the top of the wall as if she knows she's going to get up it." Sabrina then went for it and made it on the first try! "That's how you do it!"_

"_Yes! And Sabrina Duncan has completed the Venice Qualifying Course!" cried Matt. "And, Dinah, your words prove prophetic, Sabrina Duncan showing why she leads the Power Angels."_

_Shrugging, Dinah said, "It's like I said before, once Bree sets her mind on something, she goes out and does it." Once she got down from the wall, Sabrina walked over to her family. She gave each of her children a big hug before sharing a kiss with Aaron._

_Matt said, "Up next at the starting line is Trini Kwan from Angel Grove." The timer sounded, and she began. "Going with the two-footed approach on the Quintuple Steps, and she's through."_

"_Alright, that's one obstacle down, and five to go," said Akbar. Trini made her way down the Utility Pole Slider, causing Akbar to say, "Two down, four to go."_

"_I like how cool, calm, and collected she is," said Black Canary. "Centering herself and sprinting through the Bridge of Blades! Nicely done!"_

"_Taking her time to collect herself, and bounding off the mini-tramp!" exclaimed Matt. "She's got the first rope and quickly grabs the second rope."_

"_Now for the crisis transition," said Akbar. "Okay, she's got the cargo net, that's good."_

"_And she manages to get her feet onto the platform," said Dinah. "A flawless run so far, but now comes the Ring Toss."_

_Trini grabbed the rings and managed to quickly make her way across. "And look at this!" exclaimed Akbar. "She's moving fast and she doesn't even look tired!"_

"_Just amazing," said Matt. Once Trini was onto the third plank, she began swinging from side-to-side and made the dismount. "Nice dismount. And now, she stares down the Warped Wall."_

"_I think she can get up on the first try," said Dinah. After taking a moment to center herself, she took off and made it to the top! "Told you so!" said Canary as Trini hit the buzzer._

"_Wow, you called it perfectly, Dinah!" cried Matt. "Trini Kwan is moving on to the Venice City Finals! Let's go down to Jenn Brown."_

_Jenn approached the Yellow Saber-Toothed Tiger Ranger, saying, "Trini, great job out there. You blew through the course, you made it look easy, and you don't even look tired!"_

_Trini just shrugged and said, "That's what oneness of mind, body, and spirit can do. I just hope Billy and the rest of my friends can join me."_

"_Let's hope so. Matt, back up to you guys."_

"_Speaking of Billy," said Matt, "on the starting line right now is Trini's boyfriend Billy Cranston." The timer sounded. "And Billy taking a cautious approach, but showing good poise and balance."_

"_I spoke to him earlier today," said Akbar. "I think the balance comes from him doing gymnastics when he was younger. However, after his parents divorced, he lost his passion for it and threw himself into his studies, specifically science and engineering."_

"_Alright, he's through the first obstacle, now for the Utility Pole Slider," said Black Canary. Billy made it down easily. "Nicely done. But the Bridge of Blades is always tricky."_

_Billy took several moments before sprinting across, diving onto the platform. "Oh, wow!" cried Matt. "Hard impact, but he's through."_

"_Now, let's see what kind of upper-body strength he has," said Akbar. After taking a few more moments to compose himself, he hit the trampoline and easily made it to the first rope. "Alright, he's got the first rope, good momentum, and he's got the second rope."_

"_He doesn't look comfortable, but he's managing," said Dinah. However, Billy was unable to grab onto the cargo net. "Oh, I may have spoke too soon!" Billy started spinning out of control, forcing him to try and grab the first rope again._

_Trini was walking alongside the course and gasped in concern after Billy wasn't able to initially grab the net. "Hang on, get that first rope again!" Once he got the first rope again, Trini said, "Good, now get that swing going! You can do it!" _

"_Oh, man, he is using up precious upper-body strength," said Akbar in concern. Swinging from side-to-side, Billy was finally able to grab onto the net._

_Matt said, "Great save, now onto the cargo net, but the question is, guys, will he have enough strength left to tackle the Ring Toss?"_

"_That's a good question," said Dinah with a nod. "But he's still got to get onto the platform." Billy seemed to be struggling, but made it. "Alright, he made it, but like you said, Akbar, he just used up a lot of strength. Let's just hope those struggles don't come back to haunt him."_

_As Billy took some time to rest, Akbar said, "Yeah, but I like what he's doing here. He's not panicking, and he's taking his time to rest. He knows he spent a lot of time on the last obstacle and he's going to need all the strength he can muster here on the Ring Toss." _

_After resting for at least two minutes, Billy took a deep breath and finally began his attack on the Ring Toss. After traversing the first plank, he began switching up his grip. "Hey, what's this?" asked Dinah in curiosity. Billy looked awkward as he made his way across the second plank._

"_I see what he's doing!" exclaimed Akbar. "He's taking a page out of Dillon Gates' playbook!"_

"_That's right, last year in Dallas, Dillon Gates used this same approach in the City Finals and it worked beautifully," said Matt. After getting the rings onto the last two pegs of the second plank, he began swinging from side-to-side, and once he'd built up enough momentum, he let go of the left ring and swung as far as he could by his right hand before letting go and making the dismount!_

"_Very nice!" said an impressed Black Canary. "After his struggles on the Rope Swing, he did a great job on the Ring Toss, and I don't impress easily."_

"_Now for the Warped Wall," said Matt. As Billy rested, he made some gestures with his hands as he went over how to attack it. "I like this, taking his time, going over it in his mind…" Billy then took off. "…and right up it! Billy Cranston gets up the Warped Wall and punches his ticket to the Venice City Finals!" Trini threw her fists into the air, and jumped for joy, a big smile on her face (a rarity for her as this was more like something Kimberly would do) as Billy smiled and blew her a kiss. Trini returned the gesture as Billy made his way down._

"_It wasn't the prettiest run, but he made it through," said Akbar._

"_That's all that matters," said Canary._

"_Up next at the starting line is Ashley Hammond, a student and cheerleader at Angel Grove University," said Matt. "Taking her time on the Quintuple Steps, doesn't want to make a simple mistake. And she's through."_

_Ashley then made her way down the Utility Pole Slider before positioning the Bridge of Blades with her foot so that she could run down the center. She then took a few test bounces on the mini-tramp. "You know, cheerleaders get such a bad rap because people think they aren't 'real athletes,'" said Akbar. "And I think Ashley Hammond wants to blow that misconception out of the water." She then bounced off the trampoline and grabbed the first rope. "Great bounce!"_

"_Alright, she's got the second rope," said Black Canary. As Ashley swung from side-to-side, Dinah continued, "Good, I like that's she's building her momentum, making sure she can reach the net." Ashley then grabbed the net and began making her way down. "Nicely done."_

"_Alright, she's through the first four obstacles," said Matt. "Now, we'll see what kind of strength she has on the Ring Toss." After taking a few moments to rest, Ashley grabbed the rings began making her way across, swinging from side-to-side to keep herself from getting fatigued too quickly._

"_Good, she's onto the second plank," said Akbar. "Looks like the left ring is stuck, though." She managed to get it free, but began swinging downward! "Oh, man, she's in trouble!" However, Ashley was able to swing back up and get the second ring onto the proper peg._

"_And a great recovery!" exclaimed Matt._

_Dinah agreed. "Yes, but the question is does she have enough strength to make it across the other two planks?" Ashley was able to get to the third plank with no further trouble. She went almost the full length of the obstacle to make sure she got across._

"_And now Ashley Hammond faces the Warped Wall," said Matt. "Can she join the growing list of female competitors to make it up?" Ashley made her first attempt, but couldn't reach the top. "Oh! Her fingers missing by inches!"_

"_It's important here for Ashley not to panic," said Akbar. "She's got two attempts left. She needs to take her time, get her mindset right, and find just a couple more inches."_

"_Looks like she's ready for her second attempt," said Canary. Ashley then went for it again…and got her hand on top! However, she couldn't hold on and fell back down! "No! She had it! She was so close!"_

_Carlos was walking alongside the course. Knowing she was down to her final attempt, he cried out to his girlfriend, "Take your time! Don't rush it! You can do this!"_

_The crowd also knew this was her last chance as they chanted, "BEAT THAT WALL! BEAT THAT WALL!"_

"_This is it," said Matt. "Her final attempt." Finally, Ashley went for it and grabbed the top of the wall once again! However, just like before, she couldn't hold on and fell back down, ending her run! "Oh! She had it, just couldn't hold on! And Ashley Hammond out on the Warped Wall."_

_As a visibly upset Ashley walked over to Carlos, she yelled, "I had it! I was almost there!"_

_As Carlos gave Ashley a comforting hug, Matt said, "Let's go down to Jenn Brown, who's with a disappointed Ashley Hammond."_

"_Oh, Ashley, you were so close!" exclaimed Jenn. "What is going through your mind right now?"_

"_I'm very disappointed in myself," admitted Ashley. "I mean, my hands were on top of the wall! I should have made it up."_

"_Well, the good news is, there's still a chance for you to make the Top 30," said Jenn. "We'll just have to wait and see if you went far enough fast enough."_

"_I hope so," said Ashley. "I want another shot at that wall."_

_As the next Ranger made her way to the starting line, Matt said, "Up next at the starting line, hoping to do one better than Ashley is Aisha Campbell." The timer sounded. "A cautious approach, but she is staying dry."_

"_She's making it through, and that's all the matters," said Black Canary. As Aisha easily made it down the Utility Pole Slider, Dinah continued, "Alright, let's see her footwork on the Bridge of Blades." She then sprinted across. "Great job! Light on her feet, and the bridge barely moved."_

_As Aisha tested the mini-tramp, Akbar said, "I like what she's doing here, testing the trampoline before she goes." She then got a good bounce and grabbed the first rope. "Great jump." She easily grabbed the second rope, and then leaped for the cargo net._

_Matt said, "Reaches for the net and, NO!" Aisha had missed as she reached out for the cargo net, falling into the water! "Aisha Campbell out on the Rope Swing! Akbar, what just happened?"_

"_Well, it looked like she just went for the net too soon," explained Akbar. "She had a good swing going, but just didn't swing far enough."_

"_I agree," said Dinah. "I think she was thinking too much about moving fast and it resulted in a lapse of concentration." Once Aisha had pulled herself out of the water, T. J. went over and consoled her with a hug._

After Aisha's failure, three more returning competitors completed the course. Dan Mast, Dorian Cedars, and James Sclar made it up the Warped Wall, securing their spots in the next round.

_Matt continued, "Next up, hoping to punch her ticket to the Venice City Finals is Andrea Thomas, a professor at Angel Grove University. In the crowd supporting her are some of her old friends and former students from Lockspur, including Dr. Joshua Barnes, Cindy Lee, and Rennie Carol." Instead of her glasses, Andrea was wearing a pair of spectacle-like prescription goggles._

"_Go, Miss Thomas!" cried Cindy._

"_Represent Lockspur!" yelled Rennie._

_Dr. Barnes chuckled at his former students' enthusiasm before calling out, "You got this, Andrea!"_

_The timer sounded and Andrea began her run. "Taking a cautious approach, but moving pretty fast," said Matt._

"_Good form," said Akbar with a nod as Andrea completed the Quintuple Steps. She then quickly made her way down the Utility Pole Slider. "That was easy."_

"_But this won't be," said Black Canary. "There she goes!" Andrea sprinted across the Bridge of Blades, diving to safety. This got cheers from Cindy, Rennie, and Dr. Barnes, as well as the rest of the contingent from Lockspur._

_Andrea then jumped off the trampoline, easily reaching the first rope. She grabbed the second rope, maintained her momentum, and grabbed the cargo net with no trouble. "Good transition," said Matt._

"_Now's the tricky part," said Akbar. "The less time she spends on that net, the better."_

"_Looks like she heard you, Akbar," said Dinah. "She's onto the platform. It looks like she's taking her time to rest before tackling the Ring Toss."_

_Andrea slowly, but methodically, began making her way across. "I like what she's doing here. She's moving at a good pace, making sure her placements are precise," said Akbar. "Let's just hope she's not going too slow." Andrea easily reached the third plank and made the dismount._

"_Good dismount," said Matt. "No hesitation and she sprints up the Warped Wall! Amazing!" Cindy and Rennie were going nuts, while Dr. Barnes stood and applauded pretty wildly himself._

"_Wow," said Canary. "She ran up that wall as perfectly as anyone could do it."_

"_And with that, Andrea Thomas is moving on!" finished Matt as Andrea went over to hug her friends._

After Andrea's run, the last returning competitor, "The Godfather" David Campbell, completed the course, making it look effortless, as usual. It was then time for the next Ranger to take her turn.

"_Our next runner is Jamie Zedden," said Matt. "She is the girlfriend of Jason Lee Scott, whom we saw compete earlier. And there he is, standing alongside the course, cheering her on."_

_Jason clapped and said, "You got this, Jamie. This course has nothing on you!"_

_Jamie blushed and blew Jason a quick kiss as the timer sounded. "And Jamie with a good two-footed approach on the Quintuple Steps," said Matt. "And she's through."_

_Jamie grabbed the Utility Pole Slider and made it down easily. "Alright, she's through the Utility Pole Slider," said Akbar. "But the Bridge of Blades is going to be a challenge because that is a long space to cross with her smaller stride."_

"_Remember, Kacy Catanzaro is only five feet tall," said Matt. "Kimberly Oliver is not much taller, and Jamie is right in between." She then sprinted across the Bridge of Blades, striding as far as her short legs would allow her to. She was forced to dive for the platform and just landed on the edge of it! "Oh, wow, look at this! She's dangling on the platform! Can she pull herself up?" Jamie struggled, but managed to pull herself to safety. "Yes, she can! Boy, that was close!"_

"_Yeah, but don't underestimate Jamie Zedden," said Black Canary as Jamie took a moment to recover and test the mini-tramp. "This girl holds multiple black belts in Shotokan Karate, one of the most difficult styles of martial arts to master, so she's tougher than she looks."_

"_Alright, here she goes on the trampoline," said Akbar. "She's got the rope. Can she grab the second?"_

"_Yes, she can!" cried Matt as Jamie grabbed the second rope. She swung from side-to-side before attempting to get onto the cargo net, successfully grabbing it. "Good transition, but she's pretty high on the net. And this is going to tax her strength."_

"_Perhaps, but she's got no choice but to keep going," said Dinah. As Jamie made her way to the platform, Canary continued, "Alright, she's on the platform, now the big test."_

_As Jamie took some time to rest, Matt said, "And there are Jamie's parents, Larry and Leslie Zedden, cheering their little girl on."_

"_Take your time, Jamie, don't rush it!" cried out Larry._

"_Just go at your own pace, don't do anything fancy!" added Leslie._

_When she was ready, Jamie grabbed the rings and began moving along the first plank. Jason said, "Good pace, good pace, Jamie. Ignore the pain and keep pushing forward!"_

_Due to her short stature, Jamie couldn't traverse the Ring Toss very fast. The hardest part was transferring from plank-to-plank as the left ring had a tendency to get stuck. "These transitions are tough, due to her size," said Akbar. "And I think Jason has the right idea, she's just got to ignore the pain and push through."_

"_Easier said than done," said Matt. "Those arms have to be burning."_

"_But like I said," said Canary, "she's tougher than she looks. If anyone can fight through this, it's Jamie Zedden."_

"_She's on the third plank," said Akbar. "But she can't go for the dismount just yet."_

"_I agree," said Dinah. "She needs to get as close to the end as she can."_

_Doing just that, Jamie got close to the end before going for the dismount and making it. "Alright, she's through. But does she have anything left for the Warped Wall?" asked Matt._

"_Take your time, Jamie, you can do this!" cried Jason. Jamie ran towards the Warped Wall…and stumbled badly._

"_Ow, wow, it looks like her legs just gave out on her," said Matt._

"_Yeah, that's what we call jelly-legs," said Akbar._

"_She's got two attempts left," said Dinah. "But like you said, Matt, it's a question of whether or not she has enough strength to get up." After taking several moments to rest, she tried again. She barely got her fingertips on top, and fell again._

_The crowd began chanting, "BEAT THAT WALL! BEAT THAT WALL!" However, none chanted louder than Larry and Leslie._

"_This is it!" cried Matt. "Her final attempt. Can she join the growing list of female competitors who've completed the Qualifying Course? Ashley Hammond couldn't do it. Can Jamie Zedden succeed where her friend Ashley failed?"_

"_Come on, Jamie, do it for the girls!" exclaimed Canary. Jamie then went for the wall…and succeeded! "Yes! She got it!"_

"_Yes!" yelled Jason from the ground. "Take that, Warped Wall! Yeah!"_

"_Yes!" cried Matt. "She's done it!" Jamie hit the buzzer from her knees before breathing a sigh of relief._

"_You go, girl!" yelled Akbar as Jamie got to her feet._

_As she stood on top of the wall, she blew a kiss towards Jason, who happily returned the gesture. She then looked out to her parents and yelled, "Mom! Dad! I did it!" Larry proudly smiled and pumped a fist towards his daughter while Leslie jumped for joy with her arms around her husband._

_When the time came for the next competitor, Matt said, "Our next runner is Katherine Hillard. She watched earlier as her boyfriend David Truehart completed the course. Now, she's looking to do the same and join him in the Venice City Finals." When the timer sounded, Kat began leaping from platform to platform, showing great balance. "Looking comfortable here on the Quintuple Steps."_

"_And no surprise how good her balance is," said Akbar. "This girl does ballet dancing."_

"_She's also one of the taller female competitors we'll see," said Dinah. "And that height is serving her well." Once through the steps, Kat went down the Utility Pole Slider and positioned the Bridge of Blades with her foot so that she could run across the middle._

"_Right down the middle of the Bridge of Blades and right into the trampoline!" exclaimed Matt. "She's got the first rope. Good momentum, and she's got the second."_

"_Reaches out for the net with her foot, and she got it!" cried Akbar. "This girl is putting on a clinic!"_

"_Well, she made the first four obstacles look easy," said Canary. "But the Ring Toss will test her upper-body strength like nothing else today."_

"_Taking her time and here she goes," said Matt. Kat quickly and (seemingly) effortlessly moved from peg-to-peg. Unlike Jamie, reach wasn't much of a problem and she was able to get to the second plank, then the third. When she was close enough, she swung for the platform and made it._

"_Beautifully done," said Akbar. "And what's this? She's going straight for the wall!" Kat immediately tried to get up the Warped Wall, but couldn't reach the top._

"_Oh, just missed!" cringed Dinah. "I think she just moved too fast."_

_David was walking alongside the track. "Don't rush it! Take your time! Just remember what we've done in training."_

_Kat nodded to her boyfriend as she took a moment to catch her breath and put her hands on her hips, eyeing the top of the wall. "She's got two attempts left," said Matt. "Can she do it?" She then tried again, and made it this time! "Yes, she can! And Katherine Hillard is moving on!" Kat smiled and waved to the crowd as they cheered for her. Once she got down, she received a celebratory kiss from David._

"_Our next-to-last runner of the night is Samantha Dean, another competitor hailing from Angel Grove," said Matt. The timer sounded and Samantha took off. "Samantha with a two-footed technique, and she's through. And there's Samantha's boyfriend Skull in the crowd."_

_Skull applauded and said, "Way to go, Sam! That's how you do it!" She then proceeded down the Utility Pole Slider, before sprinting across the Bridge of Blades without a moment's hesitation!_

"_WHAT?" cried out Akbar. "Samantha just made the Bridge of Blades look easy!"_

"_She's got a fire inside of her and I like it!" exclaimed Black Canary._

_Samantha then hit the trampoline as hard as she could. "And look at this, Samantha Dean showing no fear as she bounces off the mini-tramp and grabs the rope! Now, she's got the second rope and leaps for the cargo net! Wow!"_

"_And look how low she got!" pointed out Akbar. "And she's already onto the platform!"_

"_Okay, looks like she's slowing down now," said Canary. "Good, she's taking her time on the Ring Toss."_

"_Good pace and she's onto the second plank," said Matt. "Moving quickly, but still a measured approach."_

"_Alright, she's onto the third plank," said Akbar. "But the dismount is always tricky." When Samantha decided she was ready, she swung from side-to-side and easily made it to the landing platform._

"_And now she stares down the Warped Wall," said Matt. Samantha took a few moments to ready herself before going for it…and making it on the first try! "And right up it, Samantha Dean with the fastest time of any female competitor! She's moving on to the Venice City Finals! Let's go down to Jenn Brown."_

_Samantha shared a victory kiss with Skull before Jenn approached. "Samantha, that was amazing! You blew through the course, you made it look easy, and guess what?"_

"_What?" asked a curious Samantha._

"_Out of the nine women who've completed our Qualifying Course tonight, you finished with the fastest time."_

"_Seriously?" asked Samantha in disbelief. "That's awesome! I want to do it again!" She then began jumping up and down for joy._

_Jenn laughed and said, "Don't worry, you'll get your chance because you are moving on to the Venice City Finals. Now, go celebrate with your friends." Samantha kissed Skull again before being swarmed with congratulations from her friends._

_Seeing Ashley among those congratulating Samantha, Matt said, "And there's Ashley Hammond, whom we saw fail at the Warped Wall a short time ago. But she can rest easy, as she is currently ranked in the 29__th__ position with only one runner left. And our final runner of the night is approaching the starting line now. And he will be making history as the first alien to run our course. It's J'onn J'onnz, the Martian Manhunter!"_

_As the crowd looked at the Martian in awe, J'onn took off his cape as the timer sounded. "And there he goes," said Akbar. "Although, honestly, he doesn't look comfortable on the Quintuple Steps."_

"_Well, I know J'onn fairly well," said Dinah. "He's strong, he has decent speed for his size, and fatigue shouldn't be a factor, but he's not very agile."_

"_But as long as he stays dry, he'll be okay," said Matt. "And he's through."_

_J'onn then proceeded down the Utility Pole Slider before positioning the Bridge of Blades with his foot. "It looks like he wants to go down the middle," said Canary. "Personally, I think that's a good idea, because with his size and weight, going along the side is out of the question." J'onn proceeded to maintain his balance as he got across. "Nicely done."_

"_Will his weight be a factor on the mini-tramp, though?" asked Akbar. Martian Manhunter bounced off the trampoline and grabbed the rope, albeit lower than he would have liked. "Oh, wow! He just barely managed to grab onto the rope!"_

"_His strength saved him there, but he's gotta watch his feet," said Matt as J'onn reached for the second rope. "Uh oh, he's in trouble. He's lost his momentum."_

"_But just look at J'onn's face," said Black Canary. "His expression hasn't changed at all." He managed to grab the first rope again and swung side-to-side. "Good job, J'onn. Now, you need to get to the net." Once he'd built up enough momentum, J'onn reached for the net and got it._

"_Okay, he's on, but he's not out of the woods yet," said Akbar. "He's got to get under this cargo net." Martian Manhunter proceeded to do just that as he got to the platform. Without a moment's hesitation, he casually walked towards the Ring Toss and went right in. "Oh, wow, he's not taking any time to rest."_

"_But, like I said, he doesn't get tired easily, so he can get away with it," said Canary._

"_You're right, Dinah," said Matt. "He's making the Ring Toss look easy, and he doesn't look tired at all! He just needs to make sure he doesn't miss any ring placements." J'onn managed to do just that and got to the platform with ease. He then managed to make it up the Warped Wall on the first try, though it didn't look pretty. He hit the buzzer gently, so as not to break it. "And he just brute-forced his way up the Warped Wall! And he's done it! The Martian Manhunter has completed the qualifying course!"_

"_And I think that's to your point, Dinah," said Akbar. "It wasn't the prettiest run up the Warped Wall, but what he lacked in agility and technique, he made up for with sheer brute force."_

"_It wasn't pretty, but he got the job done," agreed Black Canary. She then yelled out to her friend and teammate, "Great job, J'onn!"_

_J'onn smiled and waved towards the broadcast booth. "Thank you very much. I had a lot of fun."_

_As J'onn got down, Matt said, "And let's go down to Jenn Brown."_

_Jenn said, "J'onn, congratulations, the last runner of the night, one of four Justice Leaguers competing here tonight in Venice, and all four of you made it through. How are you feeling?"_

_J'onn smiled and said, "I must confess, that was the most fun I've had in a long time. I do not get to do things like this very often. Hopefully, I'll have more fun next time."_

"_Glad to hear it," said Jenn with a nod and a smile. "Congratulations, you are moving on the Venice City Finals."_

"_Thank you very much."_

"_Matt, Akbar, Dinah, back up to you guys."_

"_And with that, the Venice Qualifying Round comes to a close," said Matt. "We had twenty-seven finishers in all, lead by Hal Jordan, who turned in the fastest time of the night. Our list of finishers include the Godfather, David Campbell, the Beasts, James McGrath and Alan Connealy, and former rookie sensations Kevin Bull and Derek Nakamoto."_

_Akbar continued, "In addition, four Justice Leaguers, the Martian Manhunter, Sabrina Duncan, Jill Munroe and her sister Kris, also completed the course. The other three spots in our Top 30 are filled by those who went the farthest the fastest, and that includes Ashley Hammond, who just barely makes the cut at number 30."_

_Matt finished, "Next week, we move to Dallas, the second of five Qualifying cities, where we'll see the Black Power Angel, Kelly Garrett. Also in action will be the Royal Couple of American Ninja Warrior, Brent Steffensen and Kacy Catanzaro, as well as the inspirational Sam Sann. For Akbar Gbaja-Biamila, Jenn Brown, and Black Canary, I'm Matt Iseman. And we'll see you next time, on American Ninja Warrior!"_

**Next Time: Dallas Qualifying**


	2. 2: Dallas Qualifying

**2: DALLAS QUALIFYING**

Everyone was gathered in Dallas for the second day of qualifying. The crowd was waiting with anticipation as the competitors got a look at the course. Many of them watched as the testers went through the course, demonstrating how to do the obstacles as well as insuring that they were safe and secure. Diana Prince was watching one of the testers carefully as she walked alongside the course, waiting for Zack to come back, as he had went to get her and himself something to drink. As she watched the tester and mentally went over how she planned to attack the obstacles, someone bumped into her. "Oh, sorry!" yelped a female voice. It didn't take long for Diana to realize that the person who had bumped into her was much shorter than herself. Finally looking down, she saw a young woman standing in front of her. Diana was surprised how tiny the woman was compared to herself. In fact, she realized, she looked to be shorter than both Kimberly and Jamie. "I didn't mean to run into you, I was just trying to get a look at the course."

Diana smiled and said, "It's alright, I was doing the same thing." Diana then realized who it was. "I recognize you. You're Kacy Catanzaro. I watched you on TV last year. You were amazing and I don't impress easily."

Kacy blushed and said, "Thanks. It was always a dream of mine to be the first female to finish the regional course. It was everything I thought it'd be, but now I have new dream: To actually win the competition."

Diana nodded and said, "I imagine everyone here has the same dream. I'm Diana Prince, by the way." She extended her hand and Kacy shook it.

"Nice to meet you," said Kacy. "So, are you here by yourself?"

"Actually, no, I'm here with a couple of friends, including my fiancé."

"Drinks are here," called out a male voice. Diana and Kacy turned to see Zack approaching with a mocha for Diana and a hot chocolate for himself. He then smiled as he saw who Diana had been talking to. "Hey, you're Kacy Catanzaro!" He then turned to Diana and asked, "How'd you meet her?"

"By accident," answered Diana with a smile. After a quick sip of her mocha, she explained, "I was walking alongside the course watching the tester, when Kacy and I bumped into each other. We hadn't been watching where we were going, so we got to talking, and here we are."

"There you are, Kacy," said another male voice. Kacy, Diana, and Zack turned to see Kacy's boyfriend approaching with two cups of coffee. He was tall, well-built, tanned, and appeared to be in phenomenal shape. Seeing the two strangers with Kacy, the man said, "Am I interrupting anything?"

Zack smiled and said, "Hey, you're Brent Steffensen! I remember three years ago when you became the first American to beat the Ultimate Cliffhanger. Unfortunately, the Hang Climb did you in."

Brent nodded and said, "Yeah, I then failed it again during the first 'USA vs Japan' special, so I knew I had to take up more rock-climbing. Add that to the fact that I failed the Salmon Ladder, my favorite obstacle, twice during Season 5, I really wanted to get back to Vegas badly. Sadly, I never got the chance to redeem myself last year because I didn't even make it through qualifying."

Diana nodded and said, "Yes, I remember seeing that. I can't imagine how difficult that must have been."

Brent nodded and admitted, "It was a tough pill to swallow, but that's the nature of this sport: Failure is always an option." He then smiled and put an arm around Kacy, saying, "But on the other hand, Kacy made history, not once, but twice, becoming the first woman to earn her trip to Mt. Midoriyama, so it wasn't a complete loss for me." Kacy blushed.

Zack smiled and nodded saying, "The Royal Couple." He then put his fingers to his chin, thinking. "Hey, I got an idea."

He then whispered his idea to Diana, who nodded and said, "I like it."

"Like what?" asked Kacy in confusion.

Zack explained, "Okay, so the four of us are couples, right? You two are boyfriend and girlfriend, and we're engaged. So, how about a friendly wager? Whichever couple can both make it to the finals in Vegas, the losing couple has to buy the other lunch. I know there are some kinks, but we can work it out as we go."

Brent and Kacy looked at each other. Both had to admit it was an interesting proposition. Finally, Brent spoke up, "We like it, but let's save it for the city finals. Here in qualifying, we only face six obstacles, in the finals, we'll face ten. It'll mean more if all four of us can get through the harder course."

Zack and Diana nodded, Diana saying, "Fair enough. So, is it a bet?"

Kacy smiled and nodded, saying, "It's a bet." The four of them then shook hands.

"_Hello, everyone, I'm Matt Iseman, alongside former NFL defensive end, Akbar Gbaja-Biamila, and, this year, joining us in the booth, is the Black Canary…Dinah Laurel Lance. Tonight, we're in Dallas, Texas, our second stop in our journey to find the first-ever American Ninja Warrior."_

_Dinah then spoke, "And among our competitors tonight, we have the Black Power Angel, Kelly Garrett, as well as the Hardy brothers Frank and Joe, along with Nancy Drew, members of the JLA's Investigative Branch."_

_Matt continued, "In addition to these Justice Leaguers, our other competitors include Mt. Midoriyama veterans Brent Steffensen and Kacy Catanzaro, as well as the inspirational Sam Sann."_

_Akbar added, "Brent looks to get back to form tonight and prove he still has what it takes to go all the way. And last year, Kacy made history not once, but twice, becoming the first woman ever to complete both the Qualifying course and the City Finals course. She's looking to show everyone that her success last year was no fluke."_

_Matt said, "They and many more are looking to punch their tickets to Vegas, but first, they must get through six difficult obstacles here in Dallas tonight. For more on that, let's go down to Jenn Brown."_

_Standing by the course, Jenn said, "Thanks, Matt. The road to Mt. Midoriyama continues here in Dallas Qualifying, starting with the Quintuple Steps. Next, is the Spinning Wheel, where competitors must wedge their feet in, grab the hand holds, and hold on as they spin down the track. Then, it's the Prism Tilt, where competitors must jump onto an inclined tilting platform, move across, and jump to safety. After that is the Jump Hang Kai, where competitors must bounce off a mini-tramp, grab onto one of the two nets, and make their way across. One bad jump, and you're out. The Monkey Peg requires tremendous upper-body strength and endurance as you climb up ten feet of monkey bars, transfer to a peg board, and climb down another ten feet. And, finally, it is the Warped Wall. Competitors will have three attempts to scale it and hit the buzzer. Do so, and they are moving on to the Dallas City Finals. Matt, Akbar, Dinah, back up to you guys."_

Thus far, Tremayne Dortch, Kevin Klein, Sam Sann, Matthew Laessig, and "The Ninja Pastor" Johnathan Morin were the only ones who had completed the qualifying course. But now, it was Kelly's turn, and she was determined to end the streak of failure.

"_Up next is the first of four Justice Leaguers who will be competing here tonight. It's Kelly Garrett, the Black Power Angel," said Matt. "She hopes to become the first woman tonight to complete this course." The timer sounded and Kelly began. "And here she goes, taking a cautious approach on the Quintuple Steps. She's through."_

"_Alright, that's good," said Akbar. "Now, let's see how well she handles the Spinning Wheel."_

"_This obstacle took out so many in Venice last year, Kelly hoping to avoid that fate," Dinah finished._

"_And look how she's got her feet flush against the wheel," Akbar pointed out. "She's leaning against it as much as she can and pushing herself sideways to control the rotation. There's nothing that's going to happen that she doesn't want to happen."_

"_She made it, now on to the Prism Tilt," continued Matt. "And showing good balance as she gets to the other side of the platform. It tilts, she jumps for it, and makes it!"_

_Akbar continued, "Now, she's testing the mini-tramp before attacking the Jump Hang Kai. Historically, women have had trouble with trampolines." Kelly then charged, hit the trampoline as hard as she could, and made the leap to the net. "That's what I'm talking about!"_

"_She's onto the net," said Matt. "And it looks like she's trying to move across as fast as she can to conserve energy. And she's moving on to the Monkey Peg."_

"_This will be the first real test of her upper-body strength," said Akbar. "Let's see what she can do here."_

"_No woman has ever completed the Monkey Peg, can Kelly Garrett be the first?" asked Matt. _

_As Kelly took a moment to rest, Dinah stated, "In my opinion, yes. You like to say, Akbar, that tough times don't last, but tough people do? Well, this woman has survived having her car blown up, multiple chloroformings, she's even survived a gunshot to the head twice. And all this, mind you, BEFORE, she became a Power Angel!" As Kelly began climbing, Dinah continued, "Alright, she's through the monkey bars, now on to the peg board. It looks like she's trying to reach out as far as she can with each peg placement."_

"_Yeah," agreed Akbar. "The sooner she can get through this, the better."_

"_And she's done it, now on to the Warped Wall." Kelly ran at the wall…but couldn't make it up. Matt exclaimed, "Oh! She had her hand on top, but couldn't hold on!"_

"_She had the height, she just didn't have the grip," said Akbar. "Let's hope she can get that good of a leap again."_

"_Here she goes again, and she's got it!" Dinah shouted as Kelly had successfully grabbed the top of the wall, and pulled herself up on her second try! _

_As she hit the buzzer, Matt exclaimed, "Kelly Garrett has done it, and she is moving on to the Dallas City Finals!" Zack, Diana, the Hardys, and Nancy were all cheering loudly at seeing Kelly succeed._

"_Up next at the starting line is Diana Prince," said Matt. "And there's her fiancé Zack Taylor walking alongside the course, cheering her on."_

_Zack cried out, "You got this, Di! This course ain't got nothing on you!"_

_Diana responded by smiling and blowing Zack a kiss as the timer sounded. "And here she goes," said Akbar. "Wow! She is bounding through the Quintuple Steps! We hardly ever see that from our female athletes!"_

"_Now, onto the Spinning Wheel," said Black Canary. "Can she repeat Kelly's success?" Diana wedged herself in and made it down the track with no problem._

"_Yes, she can, and she's through," said Matt. "And look at this! She went right across the prism tilt like it wasn't even there, and no hesitation, off the tramp and onto the Jump Hang Kai!"_

"_And look at the pace she's going at," said Akbar. "She's going so fast, she doesn't even have a chance to get tired! But the question now is can she get through the Monkey Peg?_

"_I think she can," said Dinah. "What sets Diana Prince apart from the other female competitors is that she's got a bigger and stronger build upper-body-wise."_

"_And just look at her go!" exclaimed Akbar. "And that's to your point, Dinah, as she's already on the peg board!"_

"_And look at those long reaches," said a nearly-speechless Matt. "Already through, no hesitation, and she sprints up the Warped Wall! Incredible! Diana Prince has just turned in the fastest time of the night thus far and I don't think anyone can come close!"_

"_Wow, that is big-time," said Akbar._

"_Let's go down to Jenn Brown," said Matt._

_After Diana got a celebratory kiss from Zack, Jenn said, "Diana, congratulations, not only are you the second woman tonight to complete our course, but you have the fastest time so far with just over a minute. What was going through your mind as you were on the course?"_

"_Well, at the start, I was a little nervous, I'm not going to lie," admitted Diana. "I had already seen several strong competitors, both male and female, fall at different points on the course. But I knew I couldn't let that bother me. It was either do it or don't, and I chose to do it."_

"_Well, you certainly did, and you are moving on to the Dallas City Finals."_

"_Thank you very much, Jenn."_

"_I don't know if anyone can top what we've just seen, but our next runner is surely going to try," said Matt. "It's Zack Taylor from Angel Grove, California." Although usually fun-loving, Zack knew he had a difficult task ahead of him, so he was focused as the timer sounded. "And here he goes, using both feet to bounce through the Quintuple Steps."_

"_Alright, now for the Spinning Wheel," said Akbar. "I hope he was watching Diana's run just a short time ago. It looks like he was. He's wedged in good."_

"_He's going at a slower pace than Diana was," said Dinah. "But, he's making it through, and that's all he has to do. Well done, now for the Prism Tilt."_

"_He's on," said Matt. "Gets to the other side, it's tilting. Leaps for it and makes it! Now for the Jump Hang Kai…" Zack went for the trampoline without a moment's hesitation and grabbed the net. "…and he's got it! Wow! Great leap off the mini-tramp!"_

"_And he's moving as fast as he can," said Akbar. "He doesn't want to spend any more time on the net than he has to."_

"_That's right, because he knows he's going to need his strength for the Monkey Peg," said Canary. _

_Diana was walking alongside the course. As Zack approached the fifth obstacle, she said, "Good job, Zack. Take your time. Save your strength."_

_As Zack made his way up the monkey bars, Dinah continued, "Good, he's going at a smooth pace, and he's already on the peg board."_

"_This is where his strength will really be tested," said Akbar. "Can he keep his arms bent at ninety degrees?"_

"_So far, so good," said Matt. "He's trying to reach as far as he can and minimize his time on the peg board." As Zack moved, however, he seemed to have a little trouble. "Uh oh, looks like he's struggling."_

"_This isn't good," said Akbar. "Those arms are starting to straighten and that's not good."_

"_Yeah, he's already looking for the landing platform," said Black Canary. "He's going for the dismount! I don't know if this is wise on his part."_

"_Swinging from side to side, going for the dismount and he made it!" exclaimed Matt. "Wow, Zack Taylor just took a big chance there, but it paid off."_

"_And he's shaking his head as he approaches the Warped Wall," added Akbar. "I think he knows he got lucky there."_

"_But right now, he's just got to put that out of his mind and concentrate on the task at hand, and that's scaling the Warped Wall," said Dinah. "Taking a moment to rest, can he get up it in one go?"_

_When Zack decided he was ready, he went for the wall and made it up on the first try! "Yes, he can!" cried Matt as Zack hit the buzzer. "And Zack Taylor is moving on to the Dallas City Finals, and look at this!"_

_Zack started doing a celebratory dance on top of the wall. When he was done, he pumped his fist forward and cried out, "That's how we do it!"_

_This caused Akbar to exclaim, "That's what I'm talking about!"_

_Dinah smiled and shook her head, stating, "He earned that celebration, but is the dance really necessary?" She then yelled out to Zack, "Show-off!"_

_Zack shrugged and cried out to the booth, "Hey, I can't help but have style!" This caused the three commentators to laugh as Zack jumped down from the wall, getting a kiss from Diana._

"_Up next at the starting line is Joe Hardy, a member of the JLA's Investigative Branch," said Matt. "And there's Joe's parents Fenton and Laura Hardy, along with their Aunt Gertrude, here to cheer him on."_

"_I've worked on a few cases with Joe and his brother," said Dinah. "Their methods are rather unconventional, but effective, and they are both invaluable to our entire group."_

"_And there's his older brother, Frank, who we'll see run next," said Matt. The timer sounded, and Joe took off. "Wow, bounding through the Quintuple Steps, and Joe Hardy off to a great start!"_

"_That's all good, Matt," said Akbar. "But can he solve the mystery of the Spinning Wheel?"_

"_Sure looks that way, and he's through," said Canary. "On to the Prism Tilt. He's through, but he's going at a reckless pace."_

_Walking alongside the course, Frank cried out to his brother, "Slow it down! Take your time!"_

_Not listening, Joe immediately went for the trampoline and grabbed onto the Jump Hang Kai. "His brother telling him to take his time, but Joe's not having any of it!" exclaimed Matt. "He's through, now for the Monkey Peg."_

"_If I'm Joe Hardy, I would take my brother's advice and slow down here," said Akbar. "He can't rush through this, if he does, bad things will happen."_

"_Well, it looks like he heard you and Frank, Akbar," said Dinah. "He's up the monkey bars, now for the peg board. Does he have the grip and upper-body strength to get through?"_

"_Well, he's keeping his arms at ninety degrees," said Matt. "That's a good sign. It's just a matter of whether or not he can maintain that. His arms look like they're beginning to straighten, but he's almost there." He then swung to the side and made the dismount. "He's through, now on to the Warped Wall…" Joe went for it immediately, but seemed to stumble over his own two feet. "…oh, and that wasn't even close."_

_Frank cried out to his brother, "Slow down! Remember how we did this in training! Don't rush it!"_

"_Frank has the right idea," said Black Canary. "Joe needs to take his time and focus on technique rather than speed."_

"_Second attempt," said Matt. "Oh, a little better, but still comes up short. And, Akbar, Dinah, he's down to his final attempt."_

"_That's right, Matt," said Akbar. "Joe Hardy can't afford to be reckless here. He's only got one shot left and he needs to make it count." Joe went for it again and succeeded this time. "That's what I'm talking about!"_

"_Well, he needed all three attempts, but Joe Hardy is moving on to the Dallas City Finals," announced Matt._

_After hitting the buzzer, Joe wiped his forehead and said, "Whew. I got lucky there."_

"_Up next, hoping to do a little better than Joe, is his older brother Frank Hardy," said Matt. The timer sounded, signaling Frank to begin. "And look at this, Frank with a more cautious, two-footed approach on the Quintuple Steps. He gets through."_

_As Frank approached the Spinning Wheel, Black Canary said, "Having worked with both Hardys, I believe Frank is going to take a more measured approach as opposed to his brother. It's a lot like how they operate in their cases: Frank is the more logical, sensible brother, whereas Joe usually relies on his gut feeling, but is usually right."_

"_And he's through the Spinning Wheel with no problem," said Akbar. "And look at this, he's onto the Prism Tilt and he's already on the other side. It tilts, he jumps for the platform, and he's there! Excellent work!"_

"_Frank now testing the trampoline," said Matt. After doing that, Frank stepped back, took a deep breath, and charged. "A great bounce, and onto the net! Wow!"_

"_Watching his feet as he moves across the net," said Dinah. "And he's done it. Four obstacles down, two to go."_

"_Now, let's see how he handles the Monkey Peg," said Akbar. As Frank made his way up the monkey bars, Akbar continued, "Good pace, making sure he's got a hold of each bar. Now for the peg board."_

_As Frank made his way across, Matt said, "And Frank looks to be more comfortable here on the peg board than his brother. Doing a good job as he keeps his arms bent at ninety degrees. And he's through in no time!"_

"_But now for the Warped Wall," said Dinah. "Unlike his brother, I think Frank will make it up in one go." He did just that, causing Canary to cry out, "He did it!"_

_As Frank hit the buzzer, Joe applauded as Matt said, "And Frank Hardy joins his brother Joe on top of the Warped Wall. Both Hardys are moving on. Let's go down to Jenn Brown."_

_Both brothers shared a quick hug as Jenn approached. "Frank, Joe, congratulations, both of you made it to the top, Frank, you had the faster time, and Joe, you were going at a faster pace until you got to the Warped Wall. Take me through what was going through your mind, because you needed all three attempts."_

"_Well, it was a lot harder than I thought it'd be," admitted Joe. "Both Frank and I have practiced specifically for the Warped Wall, but I think I was trying so hard to get a good time that I momentarily forgot how to get up it. Luckily, I was able to correct myself, make it up, and move on."_

"_And Frank, you took a more careful pace," continued Jenn. "You were able to get up the wall on your first try, you beat your brother's time by about 15 seconds. How are you feeling?"_

"_Great, but this wasn't about beating my brother," answered Frank. "Our goal was to get through qualifying together, and that's what we did. And now, we want to both make it to Vegas."_

"_Well, you've completed the first step on your road to Mt. Midoriyama," said Jenn. "Both of you are moving on to the Dallas City Finals. Go celebrate with your family." As Frank and Joe turned to their parents and aunt to do just that, Jenn finished, "Matt, Akbar, Dinah, back up to you guys."_

"_Next up, looking to add her name to the list of finishers is Nancy Drew, another member of the JLA's Investigative Branch," said Matt._

_Chuckling, Dinah said, "She prefers to call herself merely a 'part-time investigator.' But I've worked with her before, and I am amazed at her detective skills. We have many in the Investigative Branch much older, much more experienced than her, and even they've been impressed."_

_As the timer sounded, Matt said, "Well, it's time to find out if she can impress us with her skills on the course. Taking a cautious approach on the Quintuple Steps. And she's through."_

"_And this is a great contrast to what we saw from Joe Hardy," said Akbar. "Better safe than sorry is how she's taking it." She then made her way through the Spinning Wheel before running towards the Prism Tilt._

"_Here she goes, onto the Prism Tilt, and easily makes it through!" exclaimed Matt. "And there's her father Carson Drew in the audience, along with her two closest friends Bess Marvin and George Fayne. They've got to be proud of what Nancy Drew is doing."_

_As Nancy took a few test bounces on the trampoline, Akbar said, "I like what she's doing here, testing the tramp before tackling the Jump Hang Kai. Can she get a good bounce?"_

_Nancy answered Akbar's question by charging and hitting the trampoline hard, grabbing onto the net. "She's got it!" cried Dinah. "Not the fastest run, but flawless so far. Now, let's see what kind of upper-body strength she has on the Monkey Peg."_

_Nancy took a few moments to rest before making her way up the monkey bars. Matt said, "Good pace through the monkey bars, now the peg board, which has been the downfall of many competitors tonight."_

"_And notice how she's making sure of every peg placement," said Akbar. "And she looks like she's trying to get through it as quick as she can."_

"_Don't go for the platform too soon, Nancy!" said Canary from the booth. "Finish it through!" When Nancy felt she was close enough, she swung to the side and made a clean dismount. "There you go!"_

"_And now for the Warped Wall," said Matt. "Can Nancy Drew add her name to the growing list of women who've successfully reached the top?" Nancy went for it, but couldn't quite reach the top. "No, first attempt, her fingers missed by inches!"_

_After seeing his daughter stumble, Carson yelled out, "That's okay, Nancy, take your time! Don't rush it!"_

"_You can do this!" cried George. "Just remember how you tackled it in training!"_

"_You got this, Nancy!" added Bess. "Don't let it beat you!"_

"_Second effort…" said Matt. Nancy went for it again and made it this time. "…yes! She's got it! And Nancy Drew is the fourth Justice Leaguer of the night to finish the qualifying course! And, Dinah, the success continues for the competing Justice Leaguers!"_

"_Just goes to show that you don't have to be super-human to beat this course," said Black Canary._

After that, it was time for the Royal Couple to take to the course. Brent went first and easily made it through the first five obstacles. Once he scaled the Warped Wall, he hit the buzzer, flashing his signature "Hang Loose" hand gesture.

_When Brent got to the top of the wall, Matt exclaimed, "Flashing the Hang Loose, and ladies and gentlemen, Brent Steffensen is back!"_

"_YEAH!" screamed Brent as he stood on top of the wall, feeling redeemed from his failure in qualifying the year before._

Then, it was Kacy's turn. She went at a slower pace, partially due to her size, but was able to successfully get through the first five obstacles. She then made it up the Warped Wall on her first go, completing the qualifying course for the second year in a row!

"_And she's done it again!" exclaimed Matt as Kacy let out a celebratory yell. "Mighty Kacy is moving on to the city finals for the second year in a row!"_

Once Kacy got down from the wall, she got a celebratory kiss from Brent. Zack and Diana then approached. Zack smiled and asked, "So, it's official? The bet is on?"

Brent and Kacy looked at each other before looking back at Zack and Diana. Brent nodded and smiled, responding, "The bet is on."

It was now time for the last runner of the night, but no one knew where he was. However, everyone suddenly grew silent as he finally approached.

_Black Canary smiled and told Matt and Akbar, "Get set, guys, we're in for a show." _

_It was Batman! He was dressed in his costume except he was without his cape. The crowd and the other competitors just looked on in stunned silence. Kacy whispered to Brent, "Oh, my gosh. He's real!"_

_Even Matt, Akbar, and Jenn looked spooked. Kelly let out a small smile as she kept her fingers crossed in her pocket while sipping some bottled water. The timer sounded and Batman took off. Barely above a whisper, Matt said, "And Batman taking a cautious, yet quick approach on the Quintuple Steps. He's through."_

"_Now for the Spinning Wheel," said Akbar. "His feet are securely inside and he's through." Batman then blazed through the Prism Tilt and sprang off the mini-tramp into the Jump Hang Kai. He grabbed one of the nets and quickly and carefully made his way through. _

_As he made his way through the two obstacles, Matt stated, "You can tell by his pace, Akbar, that he's not going for the fastest time, but he is calculated and methodical."_

"_That's right, Matt," agreed Akbar. "Too often, we see guys try to blaze through the course, but speed means nothing if you don't finish the course, and the Batman obviously knows that."_

_Matt then said, "Now for the Monkey Peg. And look how quickly he's through the monkey bars and now for the peg board. And just look at him keeping his arms at a 90-degree angle."_

"_And his peg placements are quick and precise. He's through in no time," Dinah said quietly._

"_Now, for the Warped Wall and right up it!" Batman quickly hit the buzzer, finally getting a response from the crowd and the other competitors as they quietly applauded, still frightened by the man's presence. Batman didn't acknowledge them as he jumped down and made his exit, walking right past Jenn Brown. "Jenn, what just happened?" asked Matt._

_Still spooked at the sight of the Dark Knight, Jenn tentatively stated, "Well, Matt, I think it's pretty clear he doesn't want to talk to me, so I'll just leave him be."_

"_Yeah, good idea," agreed Akbar with a nod._

"_Batman's a hard man to get to know…and he does tend to spook everyone," Black Canary finished._

_Matt then said, "And with that, we've reached the end of the Dallas Qualifying Round and we have eighteen finishers, lead by Diana Prince, who dominated the course with the fastest time of the night, the first time a female competitor has done so. Joining her is her fiancé, Zack Taylor, Nancy Drew, the Hardy brothers, Frank and Joe, the Royal Couple of American Ninja Warrior, Brent Steffensen and Kacy Catanzaro, as well as the inspirational Sam Sann."_

"_Don't forget the Black Power Angel, Kelly Garrett, as well as the mysterious Batman," added Akbar._

"_And, of course, the remaining twelve spots in our Top 30 are filled by those who went the farthest the fastest," finished Black Canary._

_Matt continued, "Next week, qualifying continues as we move on to St. Louis, featuring 'The Weatherman' Joe Moravsky, along with his cousin Rob Moravsky, aka 'The Adonis.' Also in action will be 'The Tennessee Trader' Travis Rosen, 'Captain NBC' Jamie Rahn, our broadcast colleague the Black Canary, and perhaps the most anticipated run of the season by the Man of Steel, Superman! For Akbar Gbaja-Biamila, Jenn Brown, and Black Canary, I'm Matt Iseman. And we'll see you next time on American Ninja Warrior!"_

**Next Time: St. Louis Qualifying**


	3. St Louis Qualifying

**3: ST. LOUIS QUALIFYING**

Everyone was gathered in St. Louis, Missouri, the third stop for qualifying. As the competitors warmed up, the Dino Thunder Rangers, two of the ThunderCats, and three Power Angels were hanging out, waiting for the competition to start. "You guys all ready?" asked Tiffany Welles.

"As ready as we can be," answered Kira Ford. "I know we've practiced and everything, but practice and the real deal are two different things."

"What kind of attitude is that?" asked Steven Hyde. "We're gonna kill this course!"

"Don't count your chickens before they hatch, Hyde," said Megan Wheeler as she sipped on some coffee.

As she drank some water, Jackie Burkhart said, "Man, it's hot. I just hope it cools off as the evening wears on."

"We'll be okay," said Donna Pinciotti as she patted Jackie on the back. "We got this." Jackie just smiled.

"Isn't Superman supposed to be competing here tonight?" asked Eric Forman.

"Yes, but I don't think he wants to draw any attention to himself," answered Elle Greenaway. "I'm guessing that, like Batman, he probably won't arrive until it's time for him to take to the course."

"Makes sense," said Trent Fernandez with a nod. "Chances are, everybody would be SWARMING him."

"This waiting driving me nuts!" exclaimed Conner McKnight impatiently. "I don't want to just watch the testers, I'm ready to GO!"

"Easy there, cowboy," said Cassie Chan. "You'll get your chance. We all will."

Walking up to his girlfriend, Ethan James smiled and asked, "Nervous?"

As one of her crew members was applying her makeup, Cassidy Cornell said, "A little. I'm going to be interviewing some of the returning competitors for the station and I just hope I don't screw up."

Ethan nodded in understanding as Devin Del Valle approached and said, "Cassidy, we're on in two minutes."

"Thanks, Devin," said Cassidy.

As Ethan as Cassidy shared a quick kiss, Ethan said, "Break a leg. Not literally, but you know what I mean."

"Yeah, I do," said Cassidy with a nod and a smile. "Thanks."

"_This is Cassidy Cornell reporting from the American Ninja Warrior St. Louis course, where eight people from Point Place will be competing. I'm here with five-time competitor Travis Rosen, one of the elite athletes who was also captain of Team USA in last year's USA vs The World special. Travis, thanks for taking the time to speak to us."_

_Travis smiled and nodded, politely saying, "You're very welcome, glad to be here."_

"_Now, Travis, you competed here last year, you reached Stage 2 in Vegas, and you were the captain for Team USA. Nobody has won this competition yet, so why do you think people keep coming back for more?"_

"_Well, it's like you said, Cassidy, nobody's won it yet and everybody wants to the first. Everybody who competes here wants to go down in history as the first American to say, 'I conquered Mt. Midoriyama.' And I really think that's part of the show's appeal."_

_Cassidy nodded. "What are your thoughts on the Justice League members taking part in the competition?"_

"_I think it's cool. I mean, it's definitely intriguing to see these extraordinary people taking on this extraordinary obstacle course. I know my kids are excited about it. I have my son, Caeden, with me here tonight and he's REALLY hoping he gets to see Superman on the course." Travis smiled as he said this._

"_Going into this season, you're 40 going on 41. Do you think your age is as much of a disadvantage as some people might make it out to be?"_

_Travis answered, "Well, I personally don't see it as a disadvantage. I think if you take really good care of yourself, you can do pretty much anything you want to do. I do think, though, that I have to work a little harder than some of the younger athletes because of my age. Because, obviously, when you're 40, you can't do things the same way you could when you're 20, 25, or even 30, so I have to push myself just a little harder to keep up."_

_Cassidy nodded before continuing, "Thank you, Travis, for taking the time to talk to us. Good luck, tonight."_

_Travis smiled and nodded, saying, "Thank you, Cassidy."_

_Cassidy was talking to two more competitors. "I'm here with Joe Moravsky, 'The Weatherman,' along with his cousin Rob, known as 'The Adonis.' You guys pumped for the course?"_

"_Oh, yeah," answered Rob. "We're always ready. Last year was my first time competing and I loved it. Then Joe, of course, blew the course away here in St. Louis and almost won it all."_

"_Close, but no cigar," said Joe. "However, I've been working really hard to change that. Here's hoping that third time's the charm."_

"_Indeed," said Cassidy with a nod. "Well, thanks, guys, and good luck."_

"_Thank you," said Joe with a nod. Rob also nodded._

_Cassidy was now talking to a woman. "I'm here with Michelle Warnky, one of only three women last year to complete a qualifying course. Michelle, you're back this year, do you think you can do it again?"_

"_I sure hope so," answered Michelle. "I'm really nervous, but I'm also excited, so, all I have to say is bring it on!"_

"_Last year was a break-out year for female competitors as you, Kacy Catanzaro, and Meagan Martin all completed qualifying courses. Then, Kacy, of course, also completed a city finals course, and Meagan made it farther in Vegas than any other female. Do you think the women can continue the success this year?"_

"_Absolutely. I've been looking around and I think I see a lot of potential here tonight. So, hopefully, we'll continue to learn and grow, and who knows, maybe the first American Ninja Warrior could be a woman?"_

"_Interesting," said Cassidy with a nod and a smile. "Thank you, Michelle, and good luck."_

"_Thank you," said Michelle with a smile._

_Cassidy was now talking to a man with dyed green hair. "I'm here with Jamie Rahn, aka 'Captain NBC.' And, Jamie, you're one of the most well-known costumed competitors here, as well as one of the most successful. Why do you think that is?"_

"_Well, I think a lot of people see us in these silly costumes and they expect us to fail, but I think they're shocked to see someone like me or William Brown actually succeed that they can't help but take notice."_

"_Over the years, your costume has evolved from body paint and a speedo, to body paint and a pair of pants, to now a full-fledged bodysuit complete with armor and a cape. And coincidentally, as your outfit has evolved, you've actually done better in the regionals every year you've competed and have actually made it to Vegas each of the last two years, making it as far as Stage 2. What do you think has been the key to your success?"_

_Jamie answered, "Well, it's not just the costume that's made me successful, like most of the guys here tonight, I actually do train hard and work at my craft. I mean, if I didn't, I couldn't hope to succeed. People ask me all the time, 'Are you going to take this seriously?' I'm a serious athlete. I just like to have fun with it. And if you're not having fun, why are you here?"_

"_Well said," said Cassidy with a nod. "Well, thank you, Jamie, for taking the time to talk to us, and good luck tonight."_

"_Thank you very much," said Jamie politely with a nod and a smile._

Once Cassidy had finished her report, she joined the rest of the crowd in the stands as the competition was set to get underway.

"_I'm Matt Iseman, alongside former NFL defensive end Akbar Gbaja-Biamila and Black Canary. And tonight, we're in St. Louis, Missouri, our third stop for qualifying to find the first American Ninja Warrior."_

_Akbar continued, "Tonight, we'll see in action 'The Tennessee Trader' Travis Rosen, who, at 40, is one of our oldest, but strongest competitors. Other returning veterans include 'The Weatherman' Joe Moravsky, who turned in the fastest time in both qualifying and the city finals. We'll also see 'Captain NBC' Jamie Rahn, one of the few costumed competitors who made to Mt. Midoriyama last year."_

"_Speaking of costumed competitors," said Black Canary, "everyone in St. Louis is anticipating seeing Superman on the course tonight. Other competing Justice Leaguers include Elle Greenaway, the Purple Power Angel, Megan Wheeler, the White Power Angel, Tiffany Welles, the Green Power Angel, and, of course, myself."_

"_And just like in every city, it all starts with six obstacles here in qualifying," said Matt. "For more on that, let's go down to Jenn Brown."_

"_Thanks, Matt," said Jenn. "St. Louis qualifying begins the same here as in every other city: With the Quintuple Steps. After that, it's the Log Grip, where competitors must wrap themselves onto the log and ride it down a twelve-foot track, enduring a jolting drop along the way. Survive that, and they must tackle the Dancing Stones, which vary in height and stability. Then, it's the Floating Chains, where competitors must swing their way across a series of five chains, utilizing the foot holds where available. After that, it's the Devil Steps, where upper-body strength is key to climbing up, then down, a series of stairs, using only their hands. And finally, it's the Warped Wall. Competitors only get three attempts to reach the top. Succeed, and you're moving on the St. Louis City Finals. Matt, Akbar, Dinah, back up to you guys."_

Thus far, only Chris Wilczewski and his brother Brian had completed the course. Now, the first Ranger of the night was ready.

"_Up next at the starting line is Cassie Chan, a musician from Angel Grove, California," said Matt. Dr. Spencer Reid was shown in the crowd as Matt continued, "And there's her boyfriend, Spencer Reid, here to cheer her on." The timer sounded, and Cassie began. "Taking a cautious approach on the Quintuple Steps. And she's through."_

"_The Log Grip, however, is going to be a challenge," said Akbar. Cassie grabbed the hand-holds, wrapped herself around it as much as she could, and began her descent. When she felt the jolt, though, she began sliding down!_

"_Uh, oh, she's in trouble!" cried Canary as Cassie slid off the log! Fortunately, she was able to grab onto the landing platform without hitting the water. She wasn't out of the woods, yet, as the log came swinging back, forcing Cassie to duck her head. She looked over her shoulder before climbing up. "Oh, wow, is she ever lucky."_

_Spencer, though he couldn't hear what Dinah had just said, felt the same. "Whew, that was close."_

_After taking a moment to compose herself, she moved on to the Dancing Stones. "Now, we'll see if she can survive the Dancing Stones," said Akbar._

"_I like what she's doing, testing one of the stones," said Black Canary. Slowly, but surely, Cassie made her way across the stones, keeping her balance all the way. "Nicely done."_

"_And now, she's gotta tackle the Floating Chains," said Matt as Cassie grabbed the first chain. Cassie grabbed the first chain and easily swung to the second chain, placing her feet onto the foot-hold._

"_The thing about the Floating Chains is that they can kill your grip strength," said Akbar. "But utilizing the foot-holds helps provide some relief." Cassie swung from side-to-side to grab the third chain. She did the same once she got it and reached the fourth chain, placing her feet onto the second foot-hold._

"_Good momentum, as she reaches for the fifth chain," said Matt. Upon grabbing the fifth chain, Cassie tried to swing for the platform, but began spinning out of control! "Uh, oh, she's in trouble again and she's out of control!"_

"_She's got to go for the dismount here," said Canary. "Otherwise, her grip strength is going to go!"_

_Taking a chance, Cassie let go and landed hard on the platform. "Oh, hard impact!" exclaimed Matt. "But she's okay!" Cassie had quickly gotten up and gave the crowd two thumbs-up before moving on to the Devil Steps._

"_Okay, now, she's at the Devil Steps," said Akbar. "This is really going to test her upper-body strength. Meagan Martin is the only woman who's ever beaten this obstacle. Can Cassie Chan join her?"_

_After taking several moments to rest, she began climbing, going hand-over-hand. When she got to the sixth step, however, she seemed stuck. "Here's that tricky sixth step," said Dinah. "What's she going to do here?" Cassie reached backwards to grab it with her right hand. Once she had a secure grip, she reached for the other side of the step with her left. "Nicely done!" exclaimed Canary. "But can her grip hold out?"_

_As she climbed the remaining steps, she began to slow down. "Uh, oh, she's slowing down," said Matt. "That usually means that fatigue is setting in."_

"_She's to the top now," said Akbar. "Can she make the transition?" Cassie began swinging before reaching out for the other side. "She's got it! Come on, Cassie!"_

_From the crowd, Spencer cried, "Good reach, Cassie! Keep going!"_

_As Cassie began her descent, she gritted her teeth and began grunting in pain. "Hang on, Cassie!" cried Canary. "You're almost there!"_

"_Look at this!" exclaimed Matt. "Cassie Chan, fighting through the pain and fatigue! Can she make it?"_

_Amazingly, Cassie reached the last step! As the crowd began chanting her name, Cassie watched her feet and began swinging for the dismount. "Yes!" yelled Akbar as Cassie successfully made it to the platform! "You go, girl!" Cassie sighed in relief as she shook her hands and arms as hard as she could._

"_And now, she faces the Warped Wall!" exclaimed Matt. "No woman has made it here tonight. Can she be the first to make it to the top?"_

_Cassie made her first run at the wall, but couldn't reach the top. "Oh, wow, that wasn't even close," said Akbar._

"_Yeah, she did not have good technique there," said Black Canary. She then cried out, "Come on, Cassie, you can do this!" Cassie took a deep breath, hands on her hips, as she looked at the top of the wall. She tried again and succeeded! "There you go!"_

"_And the list of women who've completed the qualifying course continues to grow!" cried Matt as Cassie hit the buzzer. "Cassie Chan is the first woman tonight to complete the course here in St. Louis! Let's go down to Jenn Brown."_

_Jenn smiled as Cassie walked over to her. "Cassie, congratulations, you are the first woman tonight to complete our course, though you almost went out on the Log Grip!"_

"_I know," said Cassie with a nod. "That and the Devil Steps were the two obstacles I was most concerned about, and they were both what I thought they were."_

"_Take me through what was going through your mind as you were making your way through the Devil Steps, because it looked like your arms barely held out."_

"_Yeah, my arms were burning. They're still burning, so much so, that I'm not sure I could even pluck a string on my guitar," said Cassie. "But that's okay, I'm moving on."_

"_You certainly are," said Jenn with a nod and a smile. "We will see you in the St. Louis City Finals. Matt, back up to you guys."_

"_Our next competitor is approaching the starting line," said Matt. "It's Barry Allen, a crime scene investigator from Central City, Missouri." Iris was shown in the crowd as Matt continued, "And there's his wife, Iris, who is currently expecting their first child." Barry smiled and blew a kiss to Iris. Iris returned the gesture as the timer sounded. "And Allen with a two-footed approach to the Quintuple Steps. He's quickly through."_

"_He made that look easy, now for the Log Grip," said Dinah. Barry easily held on, making it to the platform with no trouble._

"_Now, let's see his balance here on the Dancing Stones," said Akbar. Barry carefully tested each stone with one foot before moving to each one. "Very good."_

"_And on to the Floating Chains," said Matt. Barry grabbed the first chain and swung to the second, then the third. "Wow, he's only using his arms! Not sure this is a wise approach." However, Barry easily made it to the fourth, then fifth chains, before dismounting. "Good momentum, though, and he's through. But what kind of upper-body strength does he have for the Devil Steps."_

_Barry quickly climbed up the first half of the Devil Steps. "And great form, he's handling this like a rock-climber," said Akbar. Upon reaching the top, Barry easily reached the other side and began climbing down._

"_He's keeping his arms at ninety degrees and making this obstacle look easy!" exclaimed Canary. "And he's through! Wow!"_

"_And now the Warped Wall," said Matt. "Can he get up it in one go?" Barry took a moment to prepare himself before attacking the Wall…and making it to the top! "Yes, he can! And Barry Allen is moving on to the St. Louis City Finals!"_

"_That was about as perfect a run as you can have," said Dinah as Barry made his way down. He immediately went to Iris for a celebratory kiss._

"_Up next is Steven Hyde, a music store owner from Point Place, Wisconsin, who says he plans to go for the fastest time," said Matt. _

_Jackie was standing beside the course. "Go, Steven, you got this!"_

"_And there's his girlfriend, Jackie Burkhart, who we'll see compete later tonight," continued Matt. The timer sounded, signaling the start of Hyde's run. "Using both feet on the Quintuple Steps, and he's through in seconds!"_

"_Slowing down somewhat as he approaches the Log Grip," said Akbar. Hyde grabbed the log and basically jumped onto the log as it went down the track. He didn't even seem to notice the jolt as he got to the platform. "And look at this! He just flew through the Dancing Stones!"_

"_Hyde with a reckless pace as he takes on the Floating Chains," said Black Canary as Hyde grabbed the first chain and swung all the way to the third! "Hey, he just skipped a chain! He skips another and he's through!"_

"_That's the fastest anyone's gotten through the Floating Chains!" exclaimed Matt as Hyde went right into the Devil Steps. "Wow! He is flying up the Devil Steps!" Hyde easily reached the other side and quickly made his way down._

"_He's making this look easy!" cried Akbar, as Hyde ran straight up the Warped Wall! "And right up the Warped Wall! Wow!"_

_As Hyde slammed the buzzer, Matt said, "And Steven Hyde punches his ticket to the St. Louis City Finals with the fastest time of the night so far!"_

_After hitting the buzzer, Hyde screamed in triumph, much to the crowd's delight. "Yeah!" he yelled. He then looked towards the camera and asked, "That's it? I'm done already?" He just chuckled and shrugged as he made his way down._

"_Looking to top that is our next competitor, Hyde's friend Eric Forman," said Matt. Red and Kitty were in the crowd, Donna standing alongside the course. "There are his parents, Red and Kitty, ready to see their son hit the course. And there's his fiancé Donna Pinciotti, who we'll see compete a little bit later." The timer sounded and Eric took off. "Eric with a more cautious approach on the Quintuple Steps than Hyde."_

"_Come on, Eric, you can do better than that!" yelled Red from the crowd._

"_Alright, he's through, now onto the Log Grip," said Akbar. Upon hitting the jolt, Eric dropped down slightly, but easily held on. "Alright, now let's see what kind of balance he has on the Dancing Stones."_

"_I like what he's doing here, making sure he's stable before moving to the next stone," said Dinah._

"_Come on, Eric, go faster!" yelled Red. "I've seen snails faster than you!"_

"_Wow, Red's giving Eric an earful," said Matt. "But it doesn't look like it's affecting him, and he's through. Now, let's see how he tackles the Floating Chains." Eric grabbed the first chain and skipped the second, just as Hyde had done. However, as he tried to skip the fourth chain, he lost his momentum and couldn't quite reach the fifth chain!"_

"_Uh, oh, he's in trouble!" cried Akbar._

"_Yeah, he just lost all his momentum, and this is really going to hurt both his time and his grip strength," added Dinah._

"_A look of panic on his face, but Eric's got the fourth chain now," said Matt. "And wisely using the foot hold, trying to build his momentum back up." Once he got good enough side-to-side momentum, he reached for the fifth chain, grabbed it, and swung to the platform with no further trouble._

"_Alright, he's done it," said Akbar. "He got through the Floating Chains, but did he use up too much of his grip strength?"_

"_The Devil Steps will certainly provide a clear answer to that question," said Canary._

"_Take your time, let your strength get back up!" cried Donna._

"_Come on, be a man! You're resting too long!" yelled Red._

_Kitty finally had enough and turned to her husband. "Oh, hush up, and let the boy do it his way! Do you want to see him succeed or not?" Red frowned and shook his head, but reluctantly bit his tongue._

_When he was finally ready, Eric began climbing up the Devil Steps. "Good start," said Matt. "But does he have the strength needed to get through it?"_

"_He seems to have stopped here on the sixth step," said Black Canary. Slowly, Eric got around the sixth step before continuing his ascent. "He's almost to the top, but his arms look like they're starting to straighten."_

"_Yeah," agreed Akbar. "He's got to make this transition quickly, or he's done." Eric managed to make the transition to the other side and began climbing down, grunting as he started feeling the pain in his arms. "And that's what I'm talking about, just look at his face."_

_Matt continued, "Fighting through the pain, can those arms hold out?" Eric got to the bottom step, took a few swings and made the dismount. "Yes, they can, he's through the Devil Steps, now onto the Warped Wall. Just fourteen feet stand between him and a trip to the St. Louis City Finals."_

_Eric took a few moments to rest before attacking the wall. "And right up the Warped Wall!" yelled Akbar._

"_Perfect run-up!" exclaimed Dinah._

"_Well, it wasn't as fast or as entertaining as Hyde's run, but Eric Forman has guaranteed himself a spot in the St. Louis City Finals," finished Matt as Donna cheered from the side. Kitty was jumping for joy and even Red had to smile. He even flashed Eric a thumbs-up, which Eric returned with a smile of his own before getting down and getting a kiss from Donna._

"_Up next, we have another competitor from Point Place," said Matt. "It's Conner McKnight, a soccer player competing in his uniform. And there's his girlfriend Krista in the crowd, hoping her boyfriend can continue the trend of success."_

_The timer sounded and Conner took off with a flourish! "Wow! He just bounded through the Quintuple Steps!" exclaimed Akbar._

"_No hesitation as he grabs the Log Grip," said Canary as Conner raced down, dropping when he hit the jolt, but hanging on. "Okay, now he's slowing down as he takes on the Dancing Stones."_

"_Making sure he's stable with each step," said Matt. When Conner was about halfway through, since the last few steps were upwards, he decided to pick up the pace and race through the rest. "And quickly through the last few, he made it."_

"_But now, let's see what kind of grip strength he has on the Floating Chains," said Akbar. Conner grabbed the first chain and swung to the third, just like Hyde and Eric did. However, he decided to use the foothold on the fourth chain before building his momentum, skipping the fifth chain, and dismounting. "A little unorthodox, but he's through."_

"_But the Devil Steps will really test how strong Conner truly is," said Black Canary. After taking a few moments to rest, he began climbing up the steps as fast as he could. "Good pace, but let's see how he handles that sixth step."_

_As Conner worked his way around the sixth step, he continued at the same pace as before. "So far, so good," said Akbar. "Now for the transition." Conner reached for the other side, but his hand slipped off!_

"_Uh, oh, he's in trouble, hanging on by one hand!" exclaimed Matt as Krista and the rest of the audience gasped. "Trying desperately to reach that far step, and he's got it!"_

"_Oh, wow! That was close!" said a breathless Dinah. "But he's not out of the woods yet, and that miss could come back to haunt him."_

_Akbar agreed. "Yeah, the longer he spends on the Devil Steps, the more his arms will burn."_

_Matt continued, "But making his way down, can he get to the platform?" Feeling his hands starting to slip, Conner attempted the swing and successfully made the dismount. "Yes, he can, and Akbar, Dinah, I think Conner knows he got lucky there."_

"_Yeah, I've heard he has a reputation for being cocky, but he needs to respect the Warped Wall," said Akbar as Conner shook both his head and his arms._

_Looking at the top, Conner finally took off and made it to the top. "And Conner McKnight, despite some close calls is moving on to the St. Louis City Finals." From the booth, Matt continued, "Let's go down to Jenn Brown."_

"_Wow, Conner, you made it through, but I think you had everyone nervous on the Devil Steps, including your girlfriend," said Jenn._

_Conner nodded and said, "Yeah, I admit, I got a little cocky…, no, a LOT cocky after seeing a couple of my friends and a few others get through the course and it nearly cost me. I know everybody says you need to respect the course and I didn't do that, but mark my words, that will NOT happen in the finals. To quote Roman Reigns, believe that!"_

_Jenn nodded and finished with, "Matt, Akbar, Dinah, back up to you guys."_

Following Conner's run, Elet Hall, Andrew Karsen, and Michelle Warnky joined the list of finishers. It was now time for the first of three Power Angels to take to the course.

_Matt said, "Up next at the starting line is our first Justice Leaguer of the night. It's Tiffany Welles, the Green Power Angel."_

_Daryl Morgan was in the crowd next to his BAU companion Reid. "Alright, Tiff, show them what you got!"_

"_And there's Tiffany's boyfriend, Daryl Morgan, hoping Tiffany can continue the JLA's success," continued Matt as the timer sounded. "And look at this, Tiffany with a nice two-footed approach, and she's easily through the Quintuple Steps. Now for the Log Grip." As Tiffany rode down, she dropped slightly, but easily held on._

_As Tiffany approached the Dancing Stones, Dinah said, "Tiffany is a highly educated woman and is one of the more cultured members of the League. But I spoke to her earlier and she told me she hasn't been this nervous since her days in the Police Academy."_

"_Well, if she's nervous, she's not showing it," said Akbar as Tiffany reached the end of the Dancing Stones. "Good poker face there."_

"_And showing good balance as she gets through the Dancing Stones," said Matt. "Now for the Floating Chains."_

"_And look at this, she's using only her arms!" cried Akbar. "I don't think we've ever seen a female competitor take on the Floating Chains with just their arms!"_

"_Well, it seems to be working," said Canary. "Good momentum as she moves from chain to chain."_

"_Wow, and she made that look easy!" exclaimed Matt. "But now for the Devil Steps. Does she have the strength to get through?"_

"_I'm going to go out on a limb and say yes," said Black Canary as Tiffany climbed up the first set of steps, undeterred by the troublesome sixth step._

"_Wow, you might be right, Dinah!" exclaimed Matt. "She's making the Devil Steps look easy!" After Tiffany made the dismount, Matt continued, "Again, Canary, your prediction comes true, and now she faces down the Warped Wall." _

_After taking a few moments to go over her plan in her mind, Tiffany raced for the Wall…and reached the top! "Yes!" cried Akbar. "That's what I'm talking about!"_

_As Tiffany hit the buzzer, the crowd cheered with Matt saying, "And Tiffany Welles, the Green Power Angel, joins the list of Justice Leaguers who've completed the qualifying course! She is moving on to the St. Louis City Finals!" Tiffany bowed to the crowd before making her way down the wall and walking over to Daryl for a kiss._

"_The next Justice Leaguer is at the starting line," said Matt. "It's Elle Greenaway, the Purple Power Angel." The timer sounded and Elle took off. "Using both feet on the Quintuple Steps and she's through."_

"_That was almost exactly like her companion Tiffany Welles did it," said Akbar. "But now for the Log Grip."_

_Elle made it down easily. "Wow, she barely moved on that jolt," said Dinah. As Elle made her way across the Dancing Stones, Canary continued, "And Elle a bit slower than Tiffany here on the Dancing Stones, but she is staying upright."_

"_She's through," said Matt. "Now, she approaches the Floating Chains. How will she tackle them?"_

_Elle answered by skipping the second chain, grabbing the fourth, and using the foothold. "I think Elle wants to try and get through this as quickly as possible," said Akbar. "She knows the faster she gets through this, the better."_

"_Grabs the fifth chain, building the momentum, and she made it!" exclaimed Matt. "That's four obstacles down, two to go."_

"_But it doesn't get any easier," said Black Canary. "However, I think Elle's FBI training will be a great help on the Devil Steps."_

"_And Elle showing great grip and upper-body strength!" cried Akbar. "Look at this!" Elle was climbing the Devil Steps and looked completely unfazed!_

"_Now, for the transition, can she do it?" asked Matt. "She's got it, now for the descent. And Elle Greenaway making it look easy! She's made it through the Devil Steps! And now, she stares down the Warped Wall."_

"_And look at that focus," said Akbar. "She's determined to make it up in one go." Elle then ran towards the wall and made it!_

"_And she does!" exclaimed Matt. "And Elle Greenaway has done it! Yet another Justice League member moves on!"_

"_Our next competitor is our third straight Power Angel to take on the course," said Matt. "It's Megan Wheeler, NYPD Detective and the White Power Angel." The timer sounded. "And Megan with a much more cautious approach on the Quintuple Steps than either Tiffany or Elle."_

"_Yeah, but she is staying dry," said Akbar. "And that's the important thing."_

_Tiffany and Elle were walking alongside the course, cheering on their teammate and friend. "Good job, Megan! Keep it up!" cried Tiffany._

"_Pick up the pace!" added Elle._

"_Alright, she's through the first obstacle," said Black Canary. "Let's see how she handles the Log Grip. Here comes the jolt…"_

_When Megan felt the jolt, she began sliding down! However, her fingertips stayed on and she landed safely on the platform. "Oh, wow! That was a close one!" exclaimed Akbar as Megan just casually tossed the log aside and moved on._

"_The jolt almost got Megan, but she's safe," said Matt. "And yet, she doesn't look fazed at all as she approaches the Dancing Stones."_

"_Slows down as she carefully gets her footing," said Dinah. "Not the fastest pace, but Megan is determined to make it through."_

"_Megan is the youngest of the Power Angels," said Akbar. "But she's showing the patience and wisdom of a woman twice her age."_

"_She's through, and now it's on to the Floating Chains," continued Matt. Megan grabbed the first chain and swung to the second, using the foothold. She did the same thing as she got to the third, then fourth chains. Finally, she grabbed the fifth and swung to safety. "And Megan utilizing all five chains to get through, but did she use up too much grip strength?"_

"_That's a good question," said Akbar. "But I like what she's doing here, taking her time to rest before tackling the Devil Steps."_

"_Alright, looks like she's ready," said Canary. As Megan began climbing, Dinah continued, "So far, so good."_

"_And that sixth step seems to provide little trouble as she continues to make her way up," said Matt._

"_But I think she's starting to tire," said Akbar. "Look at her arms."_

"_Yeah, they're not at ninety degrees," said Dinah. "How will this affect her on the transition?"_

"_She's going for it," said Matt. "Can she make it?" Megan swung and reached for the other side. "She's got it, but can her arms hold out?" Megan gritted her teeth as she began her descent._

"_Come on, Megan, hold on!" yelled Tiffany._

"_Fight through the pain! Fight through it!" cried Elle._

"_She's almost there!" exclaimed Matt. "Going for the dismount and she made it!" As the crowd cheered, Megan began shaking her arms as she slowly approached the Warped Wall._

"_Those arms have to be burning now," said Akbar. "Does she even have enough strength to make it up the Warped Wall?"_

"_She's going for it!" cried Canary. However, Megan couldn't reach the top! "Oh, and just a few inches short!"_

_As the crowd began chanting, "BEAT THAT WALL!" Megan paused and took a moment to compose herself before trying again…and succeeding!_

"_Got it on the second try, and Megan Wheeler is moving on!" cried Matt. Megan finally allowed a smile to form as she waved to the crowd with Tiffany and Elle cheering her on. "Let's go down to Jenn Brown, who's with all three Power Angels."_

_Jenn was standing with the three Power Angels, saying, "I have with me Tiffany Welles, Elle Greenaway, and Megan Wheeler, the Green, Purple, and White Power Angels, all of whom have just completed our qualifying course, and, Angels, how does it feel to know that all three of you are moving on to the St. Louis City Finals?"_

"_It feels exhilarating," admitted Tiffany. "This is probably the most fun thing I've ever done."_

"_I feel the same way," added Elle. "I knew that my FBI training and experience would be a great asset, and it was."_

"_As was my police training," finished Megan. "But we're not done yet. We've still got work to do."_

"_Yes, the three of you do still have work to do," said Jenn. "But you are each now one step closer to Mt. Midoriyama. Matt, Akbar, Dinah, back up to you guys."_

"_Thanks, Jenn, and Akbar, Dinah, the success of the Justice Leaguers continues," said an excited Matt._

"_Yeah, and we still have more to come," added Akbar._

"_Speaking of Justice Leaguers, I apologize for leaving the two of you hanging," said Black Canary. "But, my turn on the course is coming up soon, so I need to head to the warm-up area."_

"_Alright, good luck, Dinah," said Matt._

As Canary began warming up, more athletes took to the course. Fan favorites Travis Rosen, Rob Moravsky, and Jamie Rahn (Captain NBC) all completed the course. After that, it was time.

"_And here she comes!" exclaimed Matt. "One of the most anticipated runs of the season, it's longtime Justice Leaguer and our broadcast colleague, Dinah Laurel Lance, better known to the world as Black Canary!" Dinah approached the starting line still in her costume. However, she had ditched her signature boots for a pair of running shoes that were more appropriate for the course. _

_Jason Gideon was in the stands clapping and saying, "Alright, Dinah, you got this."_

"_And there's her boyfriend Jason Gideon, hoping to see her move on to the St. Louis City Finals." As the timer sounded, she removed her jacket and tossed it aside before taking to the course. "And Canary using both feet as she makes it through the Quintuple Steps in seconds!"_

"_Wow, she just went through the steps as if they weren't even there!" exclaimed an impressed Akbar as Dinah grabbed onto the Log Grip. "Here she goes, easily makes it through the Log Grip!"_

"_The jolt barely affects her as she approaches the Dancing Stones," continued Matt. Dinah seemed to be taking a cautious approach while moving quickly, getting through the stones in under ten seconds. "Great balance and she's through. Now, look at this!"_

_Black Canary ran towards the Floating Chains, leapt, and grabbed the first chain, using the momentum to grab the second chain! "WHAT?" cried Akbar as the leather-clad heroine swung from chain-to-chain. "This is amazing!"_

"_And she made the Floating Chains look easy!" exclaimed Matt as Dinah approached the Devil Steps. "Now she slows down as she prepares to take on the Devil Steps." Canary took a deep breath before starting her climb. "And Canary showing everyone how it's done as she flies up the first set of stairs."_

"_But this transition is so critical," said Akbar as Dinah began building her momentum before reaching for it. "And she's got it. Are you kidding me? Oh my…"_

"_Black Canary putting on a clinic and the crowd is loving it!" cried an awestruck Matt as Dinah made her way down before swinging and making the dismount. She then immediately sprinted towards the Warped Wall. "No hesitation, right up the Warped Wall! And Black Canary has done it! She has completed the qualifying course! Let's go down to Jenn Brown."_

"_Dinah, I am speechless right now," said Jenn as she handed Canary her jacket. "What was going through your mind as you were on the course?"_

"_I was just thinking, 'Kick a**, take no prisoners,' and that's what I did."_

"_You certainly did," said Jenn with a nod. "Congratulations, you are moving on to the St. Louis City Finals." Dinah hugged Jenn before going over to kiss Jason. Once that was done, she made her way back to the broadcast booth._

_Once Dinah was back in the booth, Matt said, "Dinah, that was awesome!"_

"_Thank you, Matt," said Canary with a nod and a smile. "That was the most fun I've had in a long time."_

"_Wonder what else you do for fun?" asked Akbar._

_Dinah chuckled, "Trust me, Akbar, you do NOT want to know."_

"_I'll take your word for it."_

"_Our next competitor is from Point Place, Wisconsin," said Matt. "He's a champion gamer and college student, it's Ethan James." Cassidy was standing by the course, nervously clapping. "And there's his girlfriend, Cassidy Cornell, ready to cheer him on." The timer sounded. "And wow, bounding through Quintuple Steps and he's through!"_

"_That was easy," said Akbar in surprise. "Is this guy really a computer geek?"_

"_Well, he's not looking like one right now," said Black Canary as Ethan took on the Log Grip. The jolt caused him to drop slightly, but he held on. "He made that look easy, too."_

"_But now, we'll see his balance on the Dancing Stones," said Matt. Ethan's face was full of concentration as he watched his feet and made his way across the stones. "And just look at that focus. He's through. But now, he faces the Floating Chains."_

_Ethan grabbed the first chain and swung to the second, using the foothold. He then repeated this as he swung to the third, then fourth chains, again using the foothold. He then grabbed the fifth chain, swung from side-to-side to build up his momentum, and swung safely to the platform. "Wow, that was textbook," said Akbar. "Now, let's see how he handles the Devil Steps."_

_Cassidy watched nervously as Ethan began climbing up. As her boyfriend neared the top, she clapped and said, "Good job! You're halfway through!" _

_Matt said, "Alright, he's up, now for the transition." Ethan reached out for the transition, grabbing the other side with one hand. However, as he tried to grab it with his other hand, he lost his grip! "NO!" cried Matt in surprise as Ethan splashed down into the water! Cassidy and the crowd gasped in shock and concern as he appeared to almost perform a back flip as he fell! _

_However, Ethan popped up, and cried out to everyone, "I'm okay!" As the crowd applauded in relief, Ethan walked over to Cassidy and shrugged, saying, "Sorry. My fingers just slipped." Cassidy just hugged him despite the fact that he was wet before giving him a quick kiss._

"_Wow, that fall was scary," said a relieved Black Canary. "Thank God he's okay."_

"_Amen to that, Dinah," said Matt as he and Akbar nodded. "Amen to that. Up next at the starting line is Jackie Burkhart, yet another competitor from Point Place, Wisconsin."_

_Hyde was standing beside the course, saying, "Alright, Jackie, all eyes are on you. Show them what you got!"_

"_And there's her boyfriend Steven Hyde, whom we saw compete earlier," continued Matt. "Right now, he holds the fastest time of the night, and now cheering on his girlfriend as she takes to the course." The timer sounded. Jackie was very tentative as she made her way onto the Quintuple Steps. "And Jackie with a cautious approach, not wanting to make a mistake."_

"_This isn't good for the time, but that's okay," said Akbar. "Just stay dry is how Jackie's playing it."_

"_Alright, she's through," said Dinah. "Now, we'll see what kind of grip she has on the Log Grip." Jackie slowly grabbed on, making sure she had a good grip before riding down the track._

"_Let's see how she handles this jolt," said Akbar. When Jackie hit the jolt, she began sliding down! "She lost her grip!"_

"_But wait a minute!" cried Matt. "Jackie manages to grab on to the landing platform, her feet just inches from the water! Can she pull herself up?"_

_Hyde, Eric, and Donna's eyes widened as they watched their friend struggle to save herself. "Come on, Jackie!" yelled Donna. "Hang on!"_

"_Watch your feet, watch your feet!" screamed Eric._

_Jackie managed to do just that as she pulled herself up to safety, much to the crowd's delight. "Oh, wow, and Jackie Burkhart with a close call there," said Matt._

"_Yeah," agreed Dinah in relief. "You could have slipped a piece of paper between the tips of her toes and the water."_

_On the side of the course, Hyde let out a huge sigh of relief. "Aw, man, she about gave me a heart attack there." Eric just nodded and patted him on the back as Jackie moved forward._

"_She survived the Log Grip," said Akbar as Jackie slowly tackled the Dancing Stones. "But can she survive the Dancing Stones?"_

"_So far, so good," said Black Canary. "Taking her time, but staying upright." However, Jackie began wobbling, struggling to keep her balance. "Uh, oh, I may have spoke too soon!"_

"_Jackie struggling to keep her balance, but she does it!" exclaimed Matt as Jackie managed to save herself once more. She then got through the last few stones without further incident. "And Jackie Burkhart survives another near-disaster as she approaches the Floating Chains."_

_Jackie grabbed the first chain and swung to the second, securing her feet on the foothold. "Good, she's utilizing the foothold," said Akbar. She then reached for the third chain, swung to the fourth, and used the other foothold._

"_Alright, that's four chains, now she needs to get through one more," said Canary. Jackie reached for the fifth chain and tried to swing to the platform. However, she began spinning out of control! "Uh, oh, she's in trouble again!"_

"_Aw, man, Jackie Burkhart is struggling!" cried Akbar. "She needs to find a way to get to that platform or she's done!"_

"_This is just killing her grip strength and she is in no-man's-land," continued Matt. Jackie managed to reach back for the fourth chain. She then began swinging side-to-side to build her momentum before successfully making the dismount. "And Jackie Burkhart saves herself once again, but, guys, she may not have anything left for the Devil Steps."_

"_You may be right, Matt," agreed Akbar. "All that time on the Floating Chains has to have taken its toll."_

"_Jackie's resting, but can she solve the Devil Steps?" asked Dinah. Jackie soon began climbing, but it quickly became obvious that fatigue was setting in. She managed to get past the sixth step…only to lose her grip two steps later and fall into the water. Hyde crouched down, bowed his head, and put his hands on top before looking back up as his girlfriend pulled herself out of the water._

_As the crowd applauded Jackie's effort, Matt said, "Well, it was one of the most dramatic runs we've ever seen, a fantastic effort, but Jackie Burkhart out on the Devil Steps. Let's go down to Jenn Brown."_

_Jackie got a hug from Hyde as Jenn walked over. "Oh, Jackie, you came so far, made it to the Devil Steps, which very few women have done, only to lose your grip and fall. I know you have to be disappointed, but could you take me through what happened?"_

_Jackie just shrugged and said, "Well, between nearly falling off the log, almost losing my balance on the stones, and getting caught up on those chains, I just didn't have anything left. But that's alright. I made it further than I thought I would, and I have something to strive for next year."_

"_That's my girl," said Hyde before planting a kiss on her cheek._

"_Next year, that's what we like to hear," said Jenn with a nod and a smile. "We appreciate you coming out and competing this year. Matt, Akbar, Dinah, back up to you."_

"_Looking to do a little better than her friend, Jackie, is our next competitor," said Matt. "It's Donna Pinciotti."_

_Eric was standing beside the course, clapping hard and giving words of encouragement. "Alright, Donna, let's go! This is what you've been waiting for!"_

"_And there's Eric Forman, whom we saw compete earlier, trying to will his fiancé on," said Matt as the timer sounded. "Donna with a cautious approach, but still moving fairly quickly. She's through, now it's the Log Grip."_

"_There you go, dig those fingers in," said Dinah as Donna made her way down. Donna dropped a little bit at the jolt, but held on. "Goes down a little on the jolt, but she's safely through."_

"_And here she is on the Dancing Stones," said Akbar. "Good approach, good pace, and Matt, Dinah, she doesn't look fazed at all!"_

"_No, she doesn't, and she's through!" cried an impressed Matt. "And Donna Pinciotti showing no fear as she approaches the Floating Chains." Donna grabbed the first chain and swung to the second, using the foothold. She then reached for the third chain and made her way to the fourth, using the foothold on it as well. She then began building up her momentum and made the dismount, skipping the fifth chain altogether!_

"_Wow, she just skipped the fifth chain and she's through!" cried Canary. "And she's looking unstoppable!"_

"_That she is," agreed Akbar. "But the Devil Steps could be the great equalizer." Donna took few moments to rest before starting her climb. "Wow! Look at what she's doing!"_

"_Amazing, Donna Pinciotti is making the Devil Steps look easy!" exclaimed Matt as Donna quickly reached the top. "And look at this, makes the transition and she's flying down!" Once she got to the bottom, Donna quickly made the dismount. "She made it through, and now she faces the Warped Wall! Can she get up it?" Donna ran for the wall…but couldn't reach the top._

"_No, first attempt comes up short!" exclaimed Black Canary. "She's got two tries left, though. Can she make it up?"_

"_Second attempt, and NO!" cried Matt as Donna got her fingertips on top, but couldn't hold on. "Just couldn't hold on, and Dinah, Akbar, she's down to her final attempt."_

"_Yeah, she is," said Akbar as Donna took a moment to look up at the top of the wall. "Just fourteen feet stand between her and the buzzer. But this is her last chance. Can she make it? There she goes and NO!" Donna managed to get her fingertips on top once again, but couldn't hold on!_

_Eric closed his eyes and raised his head skyward, letting out a frustrated moan. His fiancé was SO close to joining him in the city finals! "Well, a strong run," said Matt, "but Donna Pinciotti out on the Warped Wall. Had she made it up, she would have been guaranteed a spot in the St. Louis City Finals. But, now, she'll have to wait and see if she went far enough, fast enough." A disappointed Donna pounded her fist on the ground before getting up and walking up to Eric for a consoling hug._

"_Well, Donna wasn't able to get up the wall," said Matt. "Let's see if our next competitor can. She's a musician from Point Place, it's Donna's friend, Kira Ford." Trent was standing beside the course, clapping. "And there's her boyfriend Trent Fernandez, who's running the course next."_

"_Alright, Kira, this is your moment!" cried Trent. "Let's do this!"_

_The timer sounded and Kira took off. "Using both feet, WHOA!" yelled Matt. "Almost went out on the third step!"_

"_Yeah, but notice that she's not panicking," said Akbar. "Taking a moment to compose herself, and moves on."_

"_Wow," said Dinah. "Kira almost went out on the first obstacle, but she's through." Kira then grabbed onto the Log Grip. As she rode, the jolt caused her to drop, but she held on and made it to the platform. "And almost out on the Log Grip, but she survives."_

_Trent let out a deep breath, saying, "That's alright, you made it through! Just keep going!"_

_As Kira let out a deep breath of her own, Akbar said, "And that has to be a relief to Kira Ford. She's almost gone out on each of the first two obstacles. Hopefully, she can do better on the Dancing Stones." Indeed, she did. Though she took her time, Kira made it through with little trouble._

"_That's three obstacles down, three to go," said Matt. "Let's see how she handles the Floating Chains." Kira grabbed the first chain and swung to the second, using the foothold. She then swung to the third chain, then the fourth, before skipping the last chain and making the dismount. "And look at this! One of the best performances on the Floating Chains we've seen yet! But now, it's the Devil Steps."_

_After taking a few moments to rest, Kira began climbing. When she got to the sixth step, she grabbed one side with both hands, reached for the other side, and kept moving up. However, her arms were starting to straighten. "Uh, oh," said Akbar. "Kira's arms are straight. She's getting tired. She's got to make this transition and fast."_

"_Trying to do just that, and she's got it," said Canary. "But can her arms hold out?" Kira climbed down and soon began swinging. The crowd applauded as she successfully made the dismount. "She made it! And it looked like it took all the arm strength that she had."_

"_You're right, Canary," said Matt. "But she still has to take on the Warped Wall. Can she do it?" She went for it, but couldn't reach the top. "No! Couldn't reach the top!"_

_Kira tried again, but got the same result. "Wow, that was almost identical to her first attempt," said Black Canary. "This is it, her last chance."_

"_Come on, Kira!" cried Akbar. "Go for it!" Kira tried one more time…but couldn't reach the top! "No!"_

"_Just inches short," groaned Matt. "But Kira Ford is out on the Warped Wall." Kira shook her head in disappointment as she walked off the course._

"_Our next competitor is the last of the Point Place contingency," said Matt. "It's Trent Fernandez, an aspiring artist who's also working towards a business degree." Anton Mercer was sitting in the crowd, smiling with pride. "And there's his adoptive father, Anton Mercer, looking to cheer his son on." The timer sounded, signaling the start of his run. "And there he goes, bounding through the Quintuple Steps. Now for the Log Grip." Trent easily made his way down, the jolt barely affecting him._

"_Wow, he made the first two obstacles look easy," said Akbar. "And look at him take on the Dancing Stones." Trent carefully made his way through the stones, while still moving at quick pace._

"_And that's one of the best performances on the Dancing Stones we've seen tonight," said Canary. "But these next two obstacles will put his grip strength to the test for sure." Trent grabbed the first chain, skipped the second, and grabbed the third. He then reached for the fourth chain and placed his feet on the foothold. Finally, he managed to grab the fifth chain, and easily swung to the platform. "And another strong performance on the Floating Chains!"_

"_But now, he's come to the Devil Steps," said Matt. "Will this be the equalizer?" Trent quickly made his way up the first set of steps and easily made the transition! "Wow! This is amazing! He's making the Devil Steps look easy!"_

"_Going for the dismount and he's got it!" exclaimed Akbar. "Are you kidding me?"_

"_But now, he faces the Warped Wall," said Dinah. "Can he reach the top?" Trent went for it, but couldn't quite make it up! "No! First attempt comes up short!"_

"_Wow, I think that's the first thing he hasn't done right," said Akbar. After taking a moment to compose himself, Trent tried again…and succeeded! "That's what I'm talking about!"_

_As Trent hit the buzzer, Matt exclaimed, "And Trent Fernandez has done it! He has completed the qualifying course!" Anton smiled proudly as he gave a fist-pump to his son. Trent returned the gesture before making his way down. As Trent got a kiss from Kira and began celebrating with his friends, Matt said, "Let's go down to Jenn Brown."_

"_Trent, a nearly flawless run," said Jenn. "Your only hiccup was your first try on the Warped Wall, but you still have the second-fastest time of the night so far, behind only your friend Hyde. How are you feeling?"_

"_I'm feeling great," answered Trent with a smile. "I've got my dad and my friends here with me, so what could be better?"_

"_Well, speaking of your friends, I've got a little bit of news that could make things better. Your girlfriend Kira and your friend Donna…even though you both failed to make it up the Warped Wall, with only two competitors left, you are both safely in our Top 30." Kira and Donna lit up as Jenn continued, "You are both moving on to the St. Louis City Finals. You went far enough, fast enough."_

"_That's great!" exclaimed Kira._

"_Thank you, Jenn, thank you!" cried Donna in relief. Both girls then hugged Jenn and each other before getting another kiss from their guys._

After Trent's run, the next-to-last competitor took to the course. It was "The Weatherman" Joe Moravksy, who finished the course, beating Hyde's time by mere seconds, much to his disappointment.

_Hyde shook his head in disappointment as Moravsky went over to get a celebratory kiss from his wife, Stephanie. Joe and Stephanie turned to see Hyde approaching. He held out his hand and said, "Congrats, man." As the two of them shook hands, Hyde continued, "You may have beaten my time tonight, but I'm taking the fastest time in the finals."_

_Joe just smiled and nodded, saying, "Bring it on."_

_It was now time for the final runner of the night. Everyone looked to the sky as he approached. "And here he is!" exclaimed Matt. "Our final runner of the night, perhaps the most anticipated run of the season, it's the Man of Steel himself…it's Superman!" The crowd was going nuts as Superman landed, politely waved to the crowd, and removed his cape. The timer sounded. "And here he goes. He looks hesitant as he makes his way across the Quintuple Steps."_

"_Yeah, I've known Superman and worked with him for a number of years," said Canary. "The upper-body obstacles won't be a problem, but like J'onn, his agility is highly questionable."_

"_Well, it wasn't the fastest approach, but Superman is through the Quintuple Steps," said Akbar. Superman then grabbed the Log Grip and made his way down. "And easily through the Log Grip."_

"_Well, his agility may be in question, but what about his balance?" wondered Matt as Superman approached the Dancing Stones. "Slowly, but surely, he's making it through and staying upright."_

_When he got to the next-to-last stone, he decided to take and chance and go for the platform. He reached out with his left leg, he put his hands on top of the platform and pulled himself up. "Alright, he's got it," said Black Canary. "That height and long legs certainly worked to his advantage there."_

"_Well, these next two obstacles shouldn't be a problem," said Akbar. "You've told us, Dinah, that fatigue won't be a factor, but for Superman, it may just come down to technique."_

"_I agree," said Canary with a nod as Superman grabbed the first chain. He then decided to take a page from Hyde's playbook and skip chains, making it to the platform easily. "And that's to your point, Akbar. Superman knew what he wanted to do, and attacked the chains. Now for the Devil Steps."_

"_I know he's got the grip and upper-body strength to get through," said Matt. "He'll just need to watch his feet as he descends and make sure he doesn't hit the water. Because, remember, if any part of you touches the water, you're out, even if it's just the tip of your toes."_

_As Superman flew up, then down the Devil Steps, Akbar cried, "Wow, he's making the Devil Steps look easy! Look at this!"_

"_Swinging, going for the dismount, and he made it!" finished Matt. The crowd was cheering as Superman approached the Warped Wall. "And now the Warped Wall. Can Superman make it to the top?"_

_Superman then ran for the wall. He seemed to stumble, almost crawl, but being a tall competitor allowed him to just get his fingertips on top of the wall! "And look at this!" yelled Akbar. "That was awful technique, but look at how he's hanging on by his fingertips!" The crowd was going crazy at this display of finger strength!_

"_The very EDGE of his fingertips!" added Dinah as Superman pulled himself up and hit the buzzer._

"_Well, it wasn't the best run I've ever seen, but Superman is moving on the St. Louis City Finals," finished Matt. _

"_Good job!" cried Black Canary from the booth._

"_Thank you very much, that was a lot of fun," said Superman with a smile as he made his way down._

"_Let's go down to Jenn Brown," said Matt._

_Jenn smiled as Superman approached. "Superman, congratulations, the last runner of the night and you punch your ticket to the city finals. But take me through your attempt on the Warped Wall, because you looked like you crawled up it rather than ran."_

"_Well, I have practiced the Warped Wall," admitted Superman. "I mean, I can do the three-step run-up and then launch, but I was worried that if I did that, people might think I was cheating by flying. However, I knew if I could just get my fingers on top of the wall, I could make it, and it worked."_

"_It certainly did," said Jenn with a nod. "Again, congratulations, and everyone's really looking forward to seeing you in the St. Louis City Finals."_

"_Thanks, Jenn," said Superman with a nod of his own. "Hopefully, I can do it again and move on to Vegas."_

"_And with that, the St. Louis Qualifying round comes to a close," said Matt. "In all, we had 22 finishers, led by 'The Weatherman' Joe Moravsky, who turned in the fastest time of the night for the second year in a row. Other finishers include Black Canary, Superman, and three Power Angels, Elle Greenaway, Tiffany Welles, and Megan Wheeler."_

"_Returning finishers include 'The Natural' Elet Hall, 'The Tennesse Trader' Travis Rosen, and 'Captain NBC' Jamie Rahn," continued Akbar._

"_And with 22 finishers, our eight remaining spots are filled by those who made it to the Warped Wall in the fastest times, including rookies Kira Ford and Donna Pinciotti, who finished 26__th__ and 27__th__, respectively," finished Black Canary._

"_Qualifying continues next week as we move to Miami," said Matt. "There, we'll see the renewal of American Ninja Warrior's greatest rivalry between Drew Drechsel and Flip Rodriguez. Other competitors include Idoko Abuh, Ryan Stratis, and Justice Leaguers Hawkman and Hawkwoman. For Akbar Gbaja-Biamila, Jenn Brown, and Black Canary, I'm Matt Iseman. And we'll see you next time, on American Ninja Warrior!"_

**Next Time: Miami Qualifying**


	4. Miami Qualifying

**Author's Note: **Thanks to Carl Turner for the suggestion for Trey's last name!

**4: MIAMI QUALIFYING**

Rocky DeSantos and Christy Sommers-Austin were watching the testers on the Miami course as they sipped on some drinks. "So, you think your dad will be able to make it?" asked Rocky.

"I sure hope so," answered Christy. "With him currently stationed in Fort Benning, GA, I wanted to compete here so that he would hopefully have a chance to come." Rocky nodded in understanding as he and his girlfriend continued to take in the course.

Julie Rogers and Will Haynes were stretching in the warm-up area. The Pink Power Angel said, "What a trip, huh? I come all the way here from L. A., I go from doing a photoshoot to running the World's Toughest Obstacle Course."

"What are you talking about?" asked Will teasingly. "You think your trip was long? I came all the way from Hawaii! Now, THAT'S a long trip!"

Seeing this, Trey just rolled his eyes and said, "Just remember why we're here: We came to run the course and secure our spots in Vegas."

Ronnie Raymond was in the warm-up area, giddy as could be. Professor Martin Stein came up and asked, "So, are you prepared?"

"As well as can be," answered Ronnie. "It's gonna be tough, but we've been on a roll so far. Dinah, Hal, Barry, J'onn, Diana, Bruce, and Clark have all advanced, now it's my turn, along with Katar and Shayera."

"Well, good luck, Ronnie," said Professor Stein as he patted his former student on the back before joining the rest of the crowd in the stands.

Jamie Sommers-Austin approached her daughter. "It's almost time. Are you two ready?"

"Ready as we'll ever be," answered Rocky.

Christy, however, sighed. "I guess Dad's not going to be able to make it."

"You sure about that?" said a male voice. Jamie, Christy, and Rocky turned to see Col. Steve Austin approaching.

"DAD!" cried Christy in excitement as she ran to hug her father. "I didn't think you were gonna make it!"

"Hey, I was coming down here come h*** or high water," said Steve reassuringly. After breaking the hug, he walked over to his wife and said, "Howdy, stranger." After getting a quick kiss, he finally turned to Rocky. "And you must be Rocky. My wife and daughter have told me a lot about you." He then extended his hand.

Rocky gulped nervously and wiped his hand on his shorts before shaking Steve's hand. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Austin."

Steve nodded and said, "Hopefully, we'll get a chance to know each other a little better." He then turned and looked around as the other competitors were warming up, hoping to see one person in particular. He finally spotted who he was looking for and cried, "Hey, Strat!"

Ryan Stratis was in the warm-up area, doing some stretches (which fellow competitors would teasingly refer to as "Stratising"), when he heard his name being called. He turned and smiled as he exclaimed, "Steve!" He went over and slapped five with Steve, saying, "Good to see you! How've you been?" He then turned to Jamie and said, "Jamie, lovely as always," before politely giving her a kiss on the cheek.

Finally, Steve answered, "Can't complain, just came down from Fort Benning to see my daughter compete."

Ryan turned to see Christy there. "Christy? Wow. It's been, what, five years since I last saw you?"

"Sounds about right," answered Christy with a nod. "This is my boyfriend, Rocky DeSantos."

"Good to meet you, son," said Ryan as he and Rocky shook hands. He then whispered, "Don't sweat it, son. Steve may be the overprotective dad, but just be a good boy and you'll survive."

Jamie chuckled as her bionic hearing allowed her to listen it. Knowing her husband, it wasn't going to be THAT easy…

Turning back to Steve, Ryan asked, "Did you say you were in Fort Benning? I might have to drop by and see you some time."

"That would be much appreciated," said Steve with a nod.

"If ya'll would excuse me, I need to get back to warming up. It's still going to be a while until I run and I need to say loose."

"Don't Stratis yourself too hard," joked Jamie.

Everyone laughed and Ryan just shook his head. "Good one. And I'll try not to."

"_Hello, again, everyone, I'm Matt Iseman, alongside former NFL defensive end Akbar Gbaja-Biamila and Black Canary. Tonight, we're in Miami, Florida, the fourth stop in our journey to Mt. Midoriyama."_

_Akbar took over. "And tonight, we'll see in action speed demons Drew Drechsel and Flip Rodriguez. Drew turned in the fastest qualifying time last season, only to suffer a surprising defeat in the Miami City Finals. Tonight, he hopes to redeem himself and take his first step back to Vegas. And Flip looks to prove that his shocking early exit in qualifying last year was a fluke."_

"_Also in action will be Justice Leaguers Hawkman and Hawkwoman, as well as the Pink Power Angel, Julie Rogers," said Dinah._

_Matt continued, "For more on what our athletes will be facing, let's go down to Jenn Brown."_

"_Thanks, Matt," said Jenn. "The Miami Qualifying course begins, as always, with the Quintuple Steps. Then, it's the Cat Grab, where competitors must make their way across two platforms. Next is Domino Hill, where competitors must run across a series of unstable dominos. The fourth obstacle is the Swing Jump. Grab the chain swing, swing to the cargo net, and crawl underneath. After that is the Double Tilt Ladder, where upper-body and grip strength are critical as competitors climb across two tilting ladders. And finally, it's the Warped Wall. You get three attempts to make it up, hit the buzzer, and guarantee yourself a spot in the Miami City Finals. Matt, Akbar, Dinah, back to you."_

_Thus far, Dustin McKinney, Idoko Abuh, Ryan Stratis, and Josh Windbeck were the only ones who had completed the course. The time had now come for the first Ranger to take to the starting line._

"_Up next is a young man from Angel Grove, California," said Matt. "It's Trey Hunnicutt." The timer sounded, signaling the start of the Gold Ranger's run. "And bounding through the Quintuple Steps, he's through in seconds. Now for the Cat Grab, and no hesitation, he's onto the first platform!"_

"_Wow! He is attacking this course!" exclaimed Akbar._

"_But now let's see his balance on Domino Hill," said Dinah as Trey made it onto the second platform before dismounting. Trey took a few moments to prepare before running right across the tops of the dominos. "Nicely done!"_

"_Now for the Swing Jump," said Matt as Trey grabbed the swing. "And look at this, he's taking big swings!" Trey only needed three swings before he was able to reach out and grab the cargo net._

"_But now he needs to watch himself as he crawls underneath the cargo net," said Akbar. Trey did just that, and quickly reached the platform._

"_Alright, he's through," said Canary. "But the Double Tilt Ladder will be the first true test of his upper-body strength."_

"_Moving quickly through the first ladder so far," said Matt. "He's already got it tilted. Can he make the transition to the second ladder?"_

_As Trey swung, Akbar said, "He's got to get a good swing, because that is a six foot gap he's got to cross." When he was ready, Trey went for the second ladder and made it! "There you go!"_

"_Come on, Trey, fight through it!" exclaimed Dinah as Trey made his way across the second ladder. He got to the end of the second ladder, swung, and easily dismounted. "Look at this!" exclaimed Black Canary as Trey immediately sprinted towards the Warped Wall…and made it up!_

"_No hesitation, and he's done it!" cried Matt as Trey pulled himself up and hit the buzzer. As Trey bowed to the applauding crowd, Matt continued, "And Trey Hunnicutt with the fastest time of the night so far, he is moving on to the Miami City Finals!"_

"_Where did this guy come from?" asked a stunned, but impressed Akbar. Canary just chuckled, secretly knowing the answer to that._

"_Our next competitor hails from Angel Grove, California," said Matt as Christy came to the starting line. "She's a self-professed Army brat whose father is currently stationed in Fort Benning, GA. She wanted to compete here just so he could watch. It's Christy Sommers-Austin! And there are her parents, Steve and Jamie, a former tennis player, ready to cheer their little girl on, along with her boyfriend, who's competing next." The timer sounded._

"_And here she goes," said Akbar. "Being careful on the Quintuple Steps, but she's actually moving fairly quickly and showing good balance."_

"_She's through, now for the Cat Grab," said Black Canary. Christy jumped for the first platform and made it. She then jumped for the second platform, got it, and jumped down before immediately flying across Domino Hill! "Wow! Look at that! The dominos barely moved!"_

"_Yeah! That's what I'm talking about!" exclaimed Rocky as he walked beside the course with Jamie and Steve._

"_Now for the Swing Jump," said Akbar. "Being one of our smaller competitors, it's going to be tough for her to build the momentum she'll need to reach the cargo net."_

_As Christy swung, Matt said, "Doing a good job so far. Can she get that swing going?" After several swings, Christy leaped for the net and grabbed on. "She's got it, now she just needs to get to the platform."_

"_She's through," said Dinah. "And Christy Sommers-Austin is the first woman tonight to make it to the fifth obstacle. But does she have the upper-body and grip strength needed to get across?"_

"_She's got a good pace on that first ladder," said Akbar. "However, those arms are not bent at ninety degrees, and that's going to tax her arms fast."_

"_Getting that swing going now," said Matt. "Can she cross that gap to the second ladder?" Christy jumped for it and made it. "Yes, she can! And Christy Sommers-Austin fighting through the Double Tilt Ladder! Can those arms hold out?" Christy fought her way across the second ladder, swung for the platform, and made it!_

"_She's through!" cried Canary. "This is an amazing performance! But she's still got one obstacle to go!"_

"_You're right, Dinah," said Matt. "Now, she faces the Warped Wall. No woman has made it here tonight. Can she add her name to the growing list of women who've completed the qualifying round this season?" Christy went for it, but wasn't able to make it to the top. "First attempt, comes up short, and, guys, that was not a good run-up."_

"_No, it wasn't," agreed Akbar. "Christy needs to take her time here and try and figure out this Warped Wall."_

_As Christy wiped her shoes off, Jamie cried, "You can do this, Christy! Take your time!"_

"_You got two tries left!" added Steve. "Now, get up that wall!"_

_Christy tried again. She did better, but wasn't able to reach the top. "Second attempt, NO!" cried Matt. "Just a few feet short, and she's down to her final attempt."_

"_Christy!" cried Rocky. "Run as far as it will let you go, then jump for it!"_

_Christy nodded at her boyfriend as she put her hands on her hips and looked at the top of the wall. When she was ready, she went for it…and succeeded! "That's what I'm talking about!" yelled Akbar as Christy made it to the top and hit the buzzer._

_As Christy celebrated, Jamie, Steve, and Rocky were going crazy as Matt exclaimed, "She's done it! Christy Sommers-Austin is the first woman tonight to complete our course! And the long trip from Angel Grove pays off!" Christy soon made her way down and ran into her parents' arms._

_Matt said, "Our next competitor also comes from Angel Grove, it's Rocky DeSantos." The timer sounded. "Wow, bounding through the Quintuple Steps! He's through!"_

"_That was amazing!" cried Akbar. "And look at this!" Rocky immediately jumped onto the first platform of the Cat Grab before jumping to the second and dismounting._

"_Wow, a reckless pace so far," said Black Canary. "But he needs to watch himself on Domino Hill."_

"_Looks like he heard you, Dinah," said Matt. "Rocky taking a moment to collect himself and here he goes…" Rocky ran across the top of the dominos…but lost his balance at the last second, landing awkwardly on the landing platform! "Oh! Hard impact!"_

_Christy, Jamie, and Steve were walking beside the course. Steve cringed while Jamie and Christy gasped. "Rocky!" cried Christy in concern._

"_I think I heard his shoulder pop," whispered Jamie to Steve._

"_You might be right," agreed Steve. Even though he had his concerns about his daughter dating him, even he didn't wish that upon the boy._

"_Well, he made it, but that dismount did not look pretty," said Akbar as Rocky made his way to his feet favoring his right arm. "Uh, oh, looks like he's hurt bad."_

"_Yeah, judging by that nasty landing, he could have very easily dislocated his shoulder," said Dinah. However, Rocky kept his right arm close to him as he moved on to the Swing Jump. "How's he going to get through the Swing Jump with only one good arm?"_

"_Good question," said Matt. "Rocky looks lost." Rocky took a moment to think, even as the pain shot through him. Remembering something he had seen on TV, he took an unorthodox approach._

"_Hey, look at this!" cried Akbar. "Using Sam Sann's technique!"_

"_He's got the net, but it's going to be a challenge getting underneath," continued Dinah._

"_Well, necessity is the mother of invention, and Rocky DeSantos does not know the meaning of the word 'quit,'" said Matt. It took longer than anyone else, but Rocky made it through. "Well, he made it through, but that had to use up a lot of his upper-body strength."_

"_Yeah, and that shoulder has to be killing him," said Dinah as Rocky approached the Double Tilt Ladder. He took a few minutes to rest before reaching up for the first ladder. He let out a grimace and a sigh as he grabbed it. "Look at that grimace," continued Canary. "That pain has to be excruciating. But, hey, look at this!"_

"_Hey, he's moving right through that first ladder!" exclaimed Akbar. "Are you kidding me?"_

"_Well, if he dislocated his shoulder, he might have popped it back in," said Matt. "He's through the first ladder. Can he make the transition?" Rocky swung and reached the second ladder._

"_Okay, he's got it," said Akbar. "But he needs to keep moving. The longer he's on there, the more it's going to tax his upper-body and grip."_

"_He's almost there," said Dinah. "Can he make the dismount?" Rocky swung and reached the platform._

"_He's done it, now he faces the Warped Wall," said Matt. Rocky took several moments to rest, turn his right arm, and try to beat the strength back into his arms. Finally, he ran towards the Warped Wall and made it up on the first try. "Here he goes and he's got it! After that hard fall on Domino Hill, Rocky DeSantos is moving on the Miami City Finals."_

_Rocky looked to the camera and said, "Thank God I made it through." He then let out a big sigh of relief as he made his way down._

_Matt said, "Let's go down to Jenn Brown."_

_As Rocky stood with Christy, Jamie, and Steve, Jenn said, "Rocky, congratulations, you made it through. You got off to a fast start, but then it looked like you hurt yourself on Domino Hill. What happened?"_

"_Honestly, I dislocated my shoulder," admitted Rocky. "But I popped it back in."_

"_When'd you dislocate it and when'd you pop it back in?"_

"_I dislocated it when I nailed that platform off of Domino Hill, but I'm sure you already knew that," answered Rocky as Jenn nodded. "I wasn't trying to blaze through the course, I was just trying to go at my own pace when, next thing I know, BAM! I finally popped it back in when I reached up to grab the Double Tilt Ladder."_

"_Well, congratulations. Why don't you go and get that shoulder checked out and hopefully you'll be able to compete in the Miami City Finals." Rocky nodded, got a kiss from Christy and went to see the medics as Steve respectfully gave him a pat on the back._

_As Rocky was getting his shoulder checked by the medics, as well as fellow competitor Joyce Shahboz, Matt said, "While Rocky DeSantos gets his shoulder checked out, our next competitor is approaching the starting line. She's our first Justice Leaguer of the night, it's Julie Rogers, the Pink Power Angel."_

_Will was standing by the course, saying, "Alright, Julie, kick this course's a**!"_

"_And there's her boyfriend, Will Haynes," said Matt. "We'll see him compete next." The timer sounded and Julie began. "Cautious approach on the Quintuple Steps…she's through."_

"_Julie's been through a lot in her life, even serving time in jail," said Dinah. "But she cleaned up her act, and now she's an invaluable member of our team." Julie easily made it through the Cat Grab before racing across Domino Hill! "Wow! Great balance!"_

"_Wow! Julie Rogers is treating this course as if it's her own personal playground!" cried Akbar. "I love this girl!"_

"_Now, here she is on the Swing Jump," said Matt. Julie needed a few swings, but was able to grab onto the net and crawl underneath. "Good pace, now she faces the fifth obstacle, only the second woman tonight to reach the Double Tilt Ladder." Julie took a moment to rest before jumping up and grabbing the first ladder._

"_Good pace, good pace!" cried Will. "Get a good swing!" Julie swung a few times and easily made the transition to the second ladder._

"_Good transition," said Matt. "Julie Rogers working her way through the second ladder."_

"_She's making it look easy!" exclaimed Akbar. Julie soon reached the end and made the dismount. "You go, girl!"_

"_Alright, this is it, the Warped Wall," said Canary. "And I'm gonna go out on a limb and say she makes it up on the first try." She then went for it…and made it!"_

"_She's got it!" cried Matt. "And once again, Dinah, your prediction comes true as Julie Rogers punches her ticket to the Miami City Finals!"_

"_Great job, Jules!" yelled Dinah._

"_Thank you very much, Dinah!" cried Julie back. "It was a lot of fun. Hopefully, Will can join me." She then made her way down to watch Will run._

"_Well, judging from what Julie just said, our next competitor needs no introduction," said Matt. "Flying in all the way from Hawaii is her boyfriend, Will Haynes." The timer sounded, and Will took off! "Wow! Flying through the Quintuple Steps, and he's through in seconds!"_

"_And look at this! Jumping right into the Cat Grab!" exclaimed Akbar._

"_He's through in seconds, and right over Domino Hill!" yelled Dinah. "And Will Haynes is trying to blow this course away!"_

"_Now for the Swing Jump, and reaches the net in one try!" cried Matt. "Being more cautious now, trying not to hit the water, and he's through!"_

"_Now for the Double Tilt Ladder, and he's flying up it!" exclaimed Dinah. Will swung and easily made it to the second ladder. "And he's not stopping!"_

"_Already to the end of the second ladder," said Akbar. "But now for the dismount…he's got it."_

"_And no hesitation, right up the Warped Wall!" cried Matt. "And Will Haynes puts up the fastest time of the night. He is moving on!"_

_After Will's run, returning veterans Noel Reyes, Melanie Hunt, J. J. Woods, and Solomon Harvey all completed the course. It was now time for the next Justice Leaguer._

"_Up next on our course is a young man hailing all the way from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, it's Ronnie Raymond," said Matt. The timer sounded. "Nice two-footed approach on the Quintuple Steps and he's through."_

"_And jumping right into the Cat Grab," said Akbar. He quickly transitioned from the first wall to the second and dismounted. "He's already through."_

"_Pausing momentarily here at Domino Hill," said Dinah. When he was ready, Ronnie raced across, although he nearly lost his balance. "Whoa, off balance, but he's through!"_

"_And Raymond breathing a sigh of relief as he moves on to the Swing Jump." Three swings later and he was onto the net. "Good transition and he's moving."_

"_Alright, he's onto the platform," said Canary. "Now, we'll see what kind of strength he has on the Double Tilt Ladder." Ronnie made his way across the first ladder, but didn't seem comfortable._

"_Looking awkward here on that first ladder," said Akbar. However, Ronnie did make it to the end and began swinging, trying to make the transition. "Good swing, can he make this transition?" He swung and went for it, grabbing the second ladder…and slipping off! "No!"_

"_Ronnie Raymond is out!" cried Matt. "Ronnie Raymond out on the Double Tilt Ladder! Let's go down to Jenn Brown, who's with a stunned Ronnie Raymond."_

"_Oh, Ronnie, you were doing so well, until you reached the Double Tilt Ladder. What happened out there?"_

"_Honestly, I have no idea," admitted a somber Ronnie with a shrug. "All I know is that I felt awkward on that first ladder and when I went for the second, I just…slipped."_

"_Well, I do have a little bit of good news that should make you feel better," said Jenn. "Despite your fall, you did make it far enough, fast enough, so you are safely in our Top 30 and you will be moving on the Miami City Finals."_

"_Yes!" cried Ronnie in relief. "Thank you, Jenn. That is a relief. Hopefully, I can redeem myself, I REALLY want to make it to Vegas."_

"_Well, you will get your chance, so congratulations," said Jenn as Ronnie shook her hand and walked away. "Matt, Akbar, Dinah, back up to you guys."_

_After Ronnie's run, Joyce Shahboz, Drew Drechsel, and David "Flip" Rodriguez all completed the course. But now, it was time for the last two runners of the night._

"_Only two runners left, but they are perhaps the most anticipated runs of the night," said Matt. "And here they come, swooping in, and the crowd's loving it! It's Hawkman and Hawkwoman!"_

_Hawkman and Hawkwoman swopped down onto the course and the crowd exploded! "And just listen to that ovation!" exclaimed Akbar._

"_Hawkwoman will run first, then Hawkman," continued Black Canary. "We're in for a show!"_

_Hawkwoman removed her wing harness as the timer sounded. "The wings are coming off and here she goes!" exclaimed Matt as Hawkwoman used both feet to make it through the Quintuple Steps. "No trouble on the Quintuple Steps and right into the Cat Grab!"_

"_This hawk wants to gobble up that cat and swallow it whole!" cried an excited Akbar._

"_Now we'll see how good her balance is," said Dinah as Hawkwoman flew through Domino Hill. "Great job!"_

"_Alright, here's the Swing Jump," said Akbar. "She's one of our bigger, stronger female competitors, so she should be able to build up that all-important momentum with little trouble." Indeed, Hawkwoman was able to easily reach the cargo net and crawl underneath._

"_This is just amazing," said Matt. "Hawkwoman making it look easy, and look how quickly she's moving through that first ladder!"_

"_Shayera is a very strong woman, so this doesn't surprise me," said Canary. "Now for the transition."_

"_Good swing and she's got it," said Matt. "And Hawkwoman is making the Double Tilt Ladder look easy, now going for the dismount and she's got it."_

"_Look at this!" cried Akbar as Hawkwoman immediately sprinted towards the Warped Wall and made it up! "That's what I'm talking about!"_

_As Hawkwoman hit the buzzer, Matt exclaimed, "And Hawkwoman is moving on to the Miami City Finals!"_

_Hawkwoman yelled towards Hawkman, "Catch me if you can, Katar!" Hawkman heard her, but he just smiled and shook his head as he walked up to the starting line._

"_And this is it, our final runner of the night," said Matt. "And just like our last runner, he hails from the planet of Thanagar. It's Hawkman!" The timer sounded as Hawkman removed his wing harness and tossed it aside. "And Hawkman with a more cautious approach, just leaping from step to step."_

"_Like J'onn and Superman, Hawkman's agility is a little suspect, but the important thing is that he's making it through," said Black Canary._

"_But that leaping ability's not suspect," said Akbar. "Easily making it onto the Cat Grab!"_

"_He's through, now for Domino Hill," continued Matt. Hawkman went across the first few dominos with little trouble, but started to stumble about halfway through! "Uh, oh, a little stumble, leaps for it, and makes it!" Hawkman landed hard, but quickly got back up._

"_Oh, wow," said Akbar. "Those dominos almost clipped his wings. But he doesn't seem fazed by it as he moves on to the Swing Jump."_

"_Katar is one of our bigger competitors, but that weight is actually helping him build up that momentum," said Dinah. "And he's got it." Hawkman easily crawled underneath the cargo net and moved on._

"_Alright, he's at the Double Tilt Ladder," said Akbar. "And I have a feeling he's been looking forward to this obstacle the most." Hawkman quickly and easily made it through the first ladder, swung, and grabbed onto the second ladder. As he moved across the second ladder, Akbar said, "Look at this!"_

"_He's already at the end of the second ladder," said Matt in amazement. "Going for the dismount, he's got it."_

"_Hawkman's taking his time before he attacks the Warped Wall," said Dinah. "However, I believe he will make it up." Hawkman went for it and made it with ease._

"_He's done it!" exclaimed Matt as Hawkman hit the buzzer. "Hawkman has done it! Another Justice Leaguer moves on, let's go down to Jenn Brown."_

"_Hawkman, Hawkwoman, both of you were amazing. How does it feel to be joining your fellow Justice Leaguers in the city finals?"_

"_Well, we knew that people were expecting a lot from us, so we just attacked the course, did our thing, and here we are," answered Hawkwoman._

"_We made a statement tonight," added Hawkman. "And we're going to do it again in the finals. Count on it!"_

_Jenn said, "Matt, Akbar, Dinah, back up to the three of you."_

"_Thanks, Jenn," said Matt. "And with that, the Miami Qualifying round comes to a close. And unlike last year, when we had 42 finishers, tonight, we only had 18, led by rookie Will Haynes, who turned in the fastest time of the night."_

_Akbar continued, "Other finishers include Drew Drechsel and Flip Rodriguez, as well as Justice Leaguers Hawkman, Hawkwoman, and Julie Rogers, the Pink Power Angel."_

"_And as always, our twelve remaining spots are filled by those who went the furthest, the fastest," finished Dinah._

"_Next week, we head to Denver, Colorado, our final stop for qualifying," said Matt. "Competitors include Brian Arnold, the man who's gone farther in Vegas than any other American. Other competitors include the 'Cowboy Ninja' Lance Pekus, Meagan Martin, the woman whose gone farther in Vegas than any other female competitor, as well as our final Justice Leaguer of the season, the Diamond Power Angel, Eve Torres. For Akbar Gbaja-Biamila, Jenn Brown, and Black Canary, I'm Matt Iseman. And we'll next time on American Ninja Warrior!"_

**Next Time: Denver Qualifying**


	5. Denver Qualifying

_**Author's Note:**__ Thanks again to Carl Turner for the suggestions for Andros, Karone, and Zhane's last names!_

**5: DENVER QUALIFYING**

The people were filing in for the final round of qualifying in Denver, Colorado. In the warm-up area, the competitors were getting loose as they waited for the competition to begin. Keith Partridge walked over to Eve Torres and smiled. "Nervous?" he asked.

"A little," admitted the Diamond Power Angel. "I'd hate to be the one Justice Leaguer who fails to get through qualifying. I know we've practiced and trained, but the nerves are always there. But I feel a lot better knowing that my family's here."

Keith nodded and said, "I know what you mean. It's great having mom, Chris, Tracy, and, yes, even Danny here for support. But, hey, don't sweat it. You beat out thousands of other women to win the Diva Search, you won the Divas Championship three times, and competed at three WrestleManias in front of crowds of over 70,000 people. Now, you're one of the most sought-after Jiu-Jitsu instructors in the country. You got this."

Eve smiled and kissed Keith. "Thanks. You always seem to know the right things to say to make me feel better." Keith just blushed.

Laurie Partridge, Andros, Zhane, and Karone were getting a look at the course and watching the testers. As they were sipping on drinks, Laurie smiled and asked, "So, what do you guys think of the course?"

"It's huge!" exclaimed Karone. "Everything looks a lot bigger than it does on TV."

"Yeah," agreed Zhane. "If the qualifying course looks like this in person, I can't imagine how big the Vegas course is."

"But first things first, guys," said Andros. "We gotta get through qualifying."

As Bill Engvall was warming up, Shirley Partridge asked, "So, are you ready for this?"

"As I'll ever be," answered Bill with a shrug. "But training in private and doing this in front of a crowd are two different things. But, being an entertainer, if I do wipe out, hopefully the audience will get a good laugh out of it."

"I just hope none of you get hurt," said Shirley.

"There's always that possibility," said Bill. "You know that."

"I know," said Shirley with a sigh. "But that doesn't mean I have to like it. At least here, though, if anything goes wrong, you'll have medics to help you out."

"I just wish we could compete," said Tracy as she, Chris, and Danny approached. "It sucks that we have to wait until we're 21."

"Yeah, any one of us could win the prize money," added Danny.

"While I do somewhat agree with Danny here, I personally think they should reduce the age requirement to 18," continued Chris. "At least then, we'd be legal adults."

"_Good evening, everyone, I'm Matt Iseman alongside former NFL defensive end Akbar Gbaja-Biamila and Black Canary. Tonight, we come to you from Denver, Colorado, our final stop in qualifying of American Ninja Warrior. And, guys, tonight could be a big night of competition."_

"_That's right, Matt," said Akbar. "Among our returning competitors, we'll see Brian Arnold, the man who's gone farther at Mt. Midoriyama than any other American. And let's not forget his Wolfpack buddies, Noah Kaufman, Ian Dory, and Isaac Caldiero. Others include the "Cowboy Ninja" Lance Pekus and, of course, Meagan Martin, one of only three women last year who completed a qualifying course and the woman who went farther in Vegas than any other."_

"_Also, we'll see our final Justice Leaguer in action," said Black Canary. "All eyes are on Eve Torres, the Diamond Power Angel, who grew up right here in Denver. No doubt, the hometown crowd will be behind her all the way."_

"_For more on what our athletes will be facing," continued Matt, "let's go down to Jenn Brown."_

"_Thank, Matt," said Jenn. "Our final round of qualifying begins, as usual, with the Quintuple Steps. Then, it's the Frame Slider, where competitors must wedge themselves into a frame with only their hands and feet down a twelve-foot track, enduring a jolting drop along the way. Survive that, and you take on the Tilting Table. Balance is key as you run across a table split with a divider in the middle. Then, it's the Jump Hang, where competitors must bounce off a mini-tramp to a cargo net and crawl underneath. After that is the Jumping Bars, where competitors must swing across three bars each six feet apart. Finally, it's the Warped Wall. Scale it, hit that buzzer, and you're moving on to the Denver City Finals. Guys?"_

Thus far, only Karson Voiles and Yen Chen had completed the course. Now, it was time for the first Ranger to take to the course.

"_Up next on the course, we have a celebrity among us," said Matt. "From the popular band The Partridge Family, it's Keith Partridge!" The rest of the family was in the audience, eager to see Keith on the course. "And there's his mom and siblings, including his sister Laurie, whom we'll see run the course next." The timer sounded, and Keith took off. "Nice two-footed approach on the Quintuple Steps, and he's through."_

"_Alright, that's one obstacle down," said Akbar. "Now, let's see how he handles the Frame Slider." Keith easily wedged himself in, rode down, and reached the platform._

"_And unfazed by the jolt," said Black Canary. "Now, let's see his balance on the Tilting Table." Keith took a moment to compose himself before taking off. He dove for the platform as the table tilted, but made it. "Oh, hard impact!"_

"_Indeed," agreed Matt. "But Keith shakes it off, and on to the Jump Hang." Keith took a deep breath, ran for the trampoline, and easily made it to the net! "He's got it! But now, he's got to get underneath."_

"_He's got to watch both his clothes as well as his hair," said Akbar. "If any part of him touches the water, he's DQd."_

"_I think he'll be okay," said Dinah. "See, he's made it to the platform. But now he faces another trampoline as he takes on the Jumping Bars."_

"_Good bounce, and he's on," said Matt as Keith grabbed the first bar. He then easily made the jump to each successive bar before dismounting. "And looking comfortable as he makes it through. Now for the Warped Wall, and right up it!" Keith had charged the wall, and made it up with little trouble! As he hit the buzzer, Matt exclaimed, "And Keith Partridge has done it! He is moving on the Venice City Finals!" Keith let out a celebratory yell towards the camera before making his way down. "Let's go down to Jenn Brown."_

"_Keith, congratulations, you made our course look easy," said Jenn. "We've seen celebrities take on our course before, but not many succeed. How did it feel to make it up that Warped Wall."_

"_It felt great," answered Keith. "My family, my friends, and I have been watching the show the last couple of years and we've been training for the past year to compete, and, for me at least, it's paid off. Hopefully, Laurie, Eve, and my friends can join me."_

"_Let's hope so," said Jenn. "Again, congratulations, we'll see you in the Denver City Finals."_

"_Thank you very much."_

"_Matt, Akbar, Dinah, back up to you."_

_Matt said, "Up next, looking to join her brother in the Denver City Finals is Laurie Partridge." _

_Keith and Andros were shown alongside the course. "Alright, Laurie, it's your turn, you can do this!" cried Keith._

"_Go for it, Laurie!" yelled Andros. "Show this course who's boss!"_

_Matt continued, "And there's Keith and her boyfriend Andros Munroe, whom we'll see compete later tonight." The timer sounded. "And Laurie with a more cautious approach here on the Quintuple Steps."_

"_But she is staying dry, and that's all that matters," said Canary._

"_Now for the Frame Slider," said Akbar. "No woman has gotten past this tonight." However, Laurie managed to wedge herself in good and made it down. "And she's the first! You go, girl!"_

"_But how will she handle the Tilting Table?" asked Matt. Laurie answered by sprinting across, seemingly unfazed as the table tilted, easily jumping over the divider. "Very easily, great footwork! Now for the Jump Hang."_

_As Laurie tested the trampoline, Akbar said, "I like what she's doing here, testing the trampoline before she goes." Laurie took a few moments before hitting the trampoline…and reaching the net! "She's got it!"_

"_Great jump!" exclaimed Dinah. "And look how quickly she's moving under the net!"_

"_And Laurie Partridge, proving she's more than just a musician, a great run!" cried Matt. "And Laurie Partridge is the first woman to reach the Jumping Bars." Laurie tested the trampoline again before going for it._

"_Here she goes…" began Akbar. Laurie bounced off the trampoline…but didn't get a good jump! Laurie desperately reached for the first bar with one hand, only just managing to grab on with her fingertips! "…oh, and just barely reaches the first bar! She's hanging on for dear life!"_

_From the stands, Shirley gasped and yelled, "Hang on, Laurie! Don't panic, get your hand up there!"_

_Beside the course, Andros yelled, "DON'T LET GO! DON'T LET GO!"_

"_Hanging on by her fingertips!" exclaimed Dinah. Laurie then managed to grab on with her other hand before taking a moment to compose herself. "And a great recovery!"_

"_Wow, I thought she was done," admitted Matt. "Laurie Partridge showing great poise and determination, but can she get through the Jumping Bars?" Laurie took a few swings before jumping to the next bar. She then got to the last bar before dismounting. This caused Keith and Andros to high-five._

"_She's done it!" cried Akbar. "After a scare on the Jumping Bars, Laurie Partridge is now facing the Warped Wall. But can she get up it?"_

"_Here she goes," said Dinah as Laurie ran for the wall,…but couldn't make it up. "Oh, just missed!"_

"_She's got two attempts left," said Matt. "But does she have anything left?" Laurie was shaking her arms and lightly jogging in place as she looked up at the top of the wall. She then tried again…and succeeded! "Yes! She's done it! Laurie Partridge is the first woman to complete our qualifying course tonight and the crowd is loving it!" Laurie respectfully bowed to the crowd before making her way down and getting a hug from Keith as well as a kiss from Andros. "Let's go down to Jenn Brown, who's with a victorious—and relieved—Laurie Partridge."_

"_Laurie, great run, you're the first woman tonight to complete our course, although it didn't look good for you at first on the Jumping Bars," began Jenn. "Could you take me through what happened?"_

"_Well, when I hit the trampoline, I knew right away that I didn't get the bounce I wanted," admitted Laurie. "And in the heat of the moment, I reached for that bar, it was my only chance, and fortunately, it worked."_

"_It certainly did," said Jenn with a nod. "And you and your brother have just made history: The two of you are the first brother-sister duo to move on to a City Finals. How does that sound?"_

_Laurie's face lit up as she said, "That's awesome! I was not aware of that. Hopefully, my boyfriend and his sister will become the second."_

"_Let's hope so. Congratulations, you're moving on to the Denver City Finals." Laurie hugged Keith again before getting another celebratory kiss from Andros._

_Matt said, "Up next at the starting line is Bill Engvall, a stand-up comedian from Los Angeles, California. And being a comedian myself, I gotta say, this guy's one of my heroes."_

"_He's also one of our older competitors," said Akbar. "Let's see how that affects him on the course." The timer sounded, and Bill took off._

"_Moving tentatively through the Quintuple Steps," said Black Canary. "Not the fastest approach."_

"_Perhaps not, but he is staying dry," said Matt. "He's through, now on to the Frame Slider."_

"_He looks lost," said Akbar as Bill tried to figure out how to get into the frame. "It looks like he doesn't know what to do." Suddenly, the frame slipped from Bill's hands, and he jumped up, trying to wedge himself in. It didn't work as Bill fell out and landed in the water hard, causing everyone to gasp in concern, none more so than Shirley. "Oh, no!" cried Akbar._

_Suddenly, Bill popped up out of the screaming, holding his left arm in pain. "Uh-oh, he's hurt," said Dinah with worry. "He's hurt bad. It looks like he's favoring that left shoulder."_

"_You might be right, Dinah," agreed Matt. "Let's take a look at the replay and see if we can figure out what happened."_

"_Watch this," said Akbar. "The frame gets away from Bill, and he tries to jump in. He can't place himself in solidly, and he comes sliding out. He tries to hold himself up with just his arms, but that left shoulder pops up awkwardly. He may have very easily dislocated it."_

_Shirley, the rest of the Partridges, Eve, Andros, Karone, and Zhane ran up to Bill in worry as he managed to get out of the water. The Blue Tiger ThunderCat yelled towards them, "DON'T TOUCH ME, DON'T TOUCH ME! I think I dislocated my shoulder!"_

_A short time later…_

_Bill was sitting in the warm-up area smiling in relief with Shirley by his side. Matt said, "There you can see a much-relieved Bill Engvall, along with his girlfriend Shirley Partridge, because while we were away, something amazing happened. You've heard the expression, 'Is there a doctor in the house?' Well, it turns out, there was one…"_

_***Flashback***_

_Bill was sitting in the warm-up area in pain as the medics tried to help him. One of them said, "It looks like you did dislocate your shoulder, Mr. Engvall."_

"_Well, can't you pop it back in?" asked Shirley, deeply worried about her boyfriend's well-being._

"_It's not really our protocol, ma'am," admitted the medic._

"_Hey," said a voice. Bill, Shirley, and the rest turned to see Noah Kauffman approaching. "I saw what happened. Maybe I could help."_

"_Sir, I really don't think you should be here," said Shirley._

"_It's okay, Mrs. Partridge," said Noah. "I'm a doctor."_

"_It's true, mom," said Chris. "That's Noah Kauffman, the Ninja Doc. He helped Alan Connealy pop his shoulder back in place two years ago."_

"_Smart kid," said Noah with a smile, clearly impressed that the boy knew who he was and what he was all about. Turning to Bill, he said, "Okay, be honest with me. Have you ever dislocated your shoulder before?"_

"_No," answered Bill._

"_Alright," said Noah. "I'm gonna try and help you pop it back in place, okay?" He then took hold of Bill's arm, applying pressure in the appropriate spots. "Easy, easy." Suddenly, Bill let out a loud grimace. This caused Shirley to gasp, but she quickly calmed down when Bill let out a long sigh of relief. Noah smiled and asked, "That feels better, right?"_

"_Oh, yeah," answered Bill in relief. "That feels SO much better." He then rotated his shoulder before saying, "Still feels kind of sore, though."_

_Noah nodded and said, "That's to be expected. I'd definitely recommend you getting an x-ray done, just to be on the safe side."_

"_I'll make sure he does," said Shirley with a nod. "Thank you so much."_

"_Any time, Mrs. Partridge," said Noah as he shook hands with Shirley and the others before shaking Bill's hand._

_As he shook Noah's hand, Bill said, "I REALLY like you right now."_

_Noah smiled and said, "I like you too, buddy. You're a funny man, and I mean that in the nicest way." Turning to the Partridges and Eve, he continued, "And my son loves all of you guys. You all take care."_

_***End Flashback***_

_Jenn Brown was talking to Bill as he was still seated. "Bill, that was a scary moment we just saw on the Frame Slider. Could you take me through what happened?"_

"_Well, I was just trying to figure out how to hold myself in," began Bill. "Next thing I know, the frame's running away from me, so I tried to jump in after the fact, and pop."_

"_I guess it's a lucky thing Noah Kauffman was here to help, huh?"_

"_Yeah, it was," answered Bill with a nod. "Right now, the Ninja Doc is one of my favorite people."_

"_We'll let you rest up and put that shoulder on ice," said Jenn. "Matt, Akbar, Dinah, back up to you."_

After Bill's painful elimination, more competitors took to the course. This included the "Cowboy Ninja" Lance Pekus, 53-year-old Jon Stewart, and Meagan Martin, all of whom completed the qualifying course. It was now time for the next Ranger to run.

"_Our next competitor comes from Angel Grove, California," said Matt. "This is Andros Munroe. He's the younger cousin of Power Angels Jill and Kris Munroe, both of whom we saw compete in Venice." Karone and Zhane were standing beside the course. "And there's his sister Karone, along with her boyfriend Zhane Pierce, both of whom will compete next."_

"_I actually spoke with Andros and Zhane earlier today," said Akbar. "And they told me that they plan to compete for the fastest time." The timer sounded._

"_And Andros bounding through the Quintuple Steps!" cried Canary. "And look at this, jumping right into the Frame Slider!"_

"_Look at this, right over the Tilting Table, and it barely moved!" yelled Akbar._

"_And no hesitation, great bounce, and he's got the net!" exclaimed Matt as Andros made his way onto the Jump Hang. "And moving as fast as he can, he's made it to the platform."_

"_And charges the trampoline, he's got the first bar!" continued Black Canary as Andros attacked the Jumping Bars._

"_Good swings, good transitions," said Matt. "He's through, and right up the Warped Wall! Wow!" As Andros hit the buzzer, Matt finished, "And Andros Munroe with the fastest time of the night so far!" Andros gave a thumbs-up to the camera as he made his way down._

"_Our next competitor also comes from Angel Grove," continued Matt. "It's Zhane Pierce." The timer sounded and Zhane took off! "And bounding through the Quintuple Steps, just like his friend Andros. And jumps right into the Frame Slider."_

"_Here comes the jolt…" said Akbar. "…he's through. Sprints over the Tilting Table…oh! Hard impact!"_

"_But he hops right back up, off the trampoline, and he's got the net," continued Black Canary. "He looks to be making his way under the net faster than Andros did, and if he wants the fastest time, that could make all the difference."_

"_You're right, Dinah," said Matt as Zhane got to the platform. "And here he goes, he's got the first bar."_

"_And look at those big swings!" cried Akbar. "Zhane Pierce is putting on a clinic!"_

"_And no hesitation, right up the Warped Wall!" exclaimed Matt as Zhane made it to the top of the wall and hit the buzzer. "And Zhane Pierce beats his buddy Andros, but we're not going to tell him just yet. We have one more run as Karone Munroe, Andros' sister and Zhane's girlfriend is making her way to the starting line."_

_The timer sounded. "And Karone using both feet to make her way through the Quintuple Steps," said Dinah. "Nicely done."_

"_But the Frame Slider is going to be a challenge," said Akbar. However, Karone easily wedged herself in and made her way down. "Okay, she passed that test."_

"_Now, we'll see her balance on the Tilting Table," said Matt. "Sprints right across! Great job! Shades of her cousin Kris in Venice."_

"_And like Jill, Karone doesn't fear the trampoline, she's got the net!" cried Dinah as Karone attacked the Jump Hang._

"_And look at this, using her forearms to grab onto the net as she crawls underneath," observed Akbar. "A smart way to save precious grip strength."_

"_Well, according to Jill and Kris, Karone believes in working smarter, not harder," said Canary._

_Andros and Zhane were watching from the side. "Good job, Karone!" Andros called out._

"_You're doing great!" encouraged Zhane. "Now, finish it through!"_

_Once on the platform, Karone took a moment to shake out her arms before charging the trampoline. "And here she goes, she's got the first bar," Matt called out. "Making sure she's got a good swing, and she's made the first transition."_

"_And it's to your point, Dinah," said Akbar. "Karone is wisely building up big swings as she makes her way across."_

"_Last bar, and she's through," continued Dinah. "And now, she stares down the Warped Wall."_

"_Alright, sis, this is the moment of truth," said Andros. "Come on!"_

"_You got this, Karone," said Zhane. "Now, beat that wall!"_

"_Going over it in her head before she makes her move," said Matt as Karone motioned with her hands. "Here she goes…she's got it!" Karone finally let out a smile as she pulled herself up and hit the buzzer. "And she's done it! Karone Munroe is moving on to the Denver City Finals! Let's go down to Jenn Brown, who's with all three competitors."_

"_Karone, Andros, Zhane, congratulations, all three of you have just completed our qualifying course in succession," began Jenn. "Karone, Andros, the two of you have become the second brother-sister pair to complete our course tonight, but, Andros, I have some additional news for you and Zhane. You guys say you were competing for the fastest time? Well, Andros,…Zhane beat your time by six seconds."_

"_Oh!" cried out Zhane as he threw up his arms in triumph. "Yes! In your face!"_

"_I'll get you back in the city finals," said Andros. "Count on it."_

"_Easy, guys," said Karone as she stepped between her brother and boyfriend. "Remember, this is us against the course, not each other."_

"_Matt, Akbar, Dinah, back up to the three of you," finished Jenn._

After Karone's run, all four members of the Wolfpack (Brian Arnold, Ian Dory, Noah Kauffman, and Isaac Caldiero) completed the course, along with "Mr. Consistency" Paul Kasemir and Lorin Ball, who beat Zhane's time by nearly ten seconds, much to the Silver Lightstar Ranger's chagrin. It was now time for the final run of Qualifying.

"_This is it," said Matt. "The final run of the night, the final run of Qualifying. And our last runner grew up right here in Denver. She currently resides in Los Angeles, California. She is our only Justice Leaguer competing here tonight. She's a former WWE Diva, a Jiu-Jitsu instructor, and the Diamond Power Angel. It's Eve Torres!"_

_Akbar said, "And, Matt, Dinah, I'm a big-time wrestling fan, so, you know I love this girl already."_

"_Just don't let Keith Partridge hear you say that," said Black Canary with a chuckle._

"_Hey, I can take care of myself," said Akbar. "I'm not scared of Keith Partridge."_

"_There we can see Eve's family in the crowd as well as her friend, including her boyfriend Keith Partridge," continued Matt as the timer sounded. "And here she goes, cautious approach, but moving fairly quickly."_

"_Good balance, and that's from years of gymnastics and dancing," said Canary. "Now, let's see how she handles the Frame Slider." Eve easily wedged herself in and made her way down. "And she's through."_

"_But the Tilting Table will put her balance to the test," said Akbar. "This isn't the same as climbing the turnbuckle…" Eve then made her way across, gracefully jumping over the divider as the table tilted. "…but great footwork!"_

"_Eve now taking a deep breath," said Matt as Eve prepared to attack the mini-tramp. "Here she goes, and she's got it! Now, making her way under the net, she needs to get to the platform."_

"_Uh-oh, her hair is dangerously close to the water," said Akbar. "But she's made it to the platform, and now it's time for the Jumping Bars."_

_Eve took another deep breath before charging the trampoline. "And easily reaches that first bar," said Dinah. "She's got a good swing going, makes that first transition easily." Eve easily made it to each successive bar before dismounting._

"_She's through, now the Diamond Power Angel comes face-to-face with the Warped Wall," said Matt. Eve went for it, but couldn't make it up. "Oh, and comes up short!"_

_From beside the course, Keith said, "Take your time, Eve! You can do this! Come on!"_

"_Eve needs to pretend she's scaling the turnbuckle and fly," said Akbar. Eve took a few moments to collect herself before trying again…and succeeding! "That's what I'm talking about!"_

_As Eve hit the buzzer, Matt cried, "And she's done it! Eve Torres continues the success of the JLA and she is moving on to the Denver City Finals!" Everyone was cheering loudly, none more so than Keith. Eve then saluted the crowd as a bald eagle swooped down and came to rest on her right arm. "And look at this!"_

"_Hey, Eve, what's with the eagle?" asked Canary from the booth._

_Eve answered, "America's coming for Midoriyama. It's going down this year!"_

_Matt said, "Akbar, Dinah, Eve just said Mt. Midoriyama's going down, and after everything we've seen in qualifying this year, I believe her."_

"_I do, too," agreed Akbar. "Great job, Eve!"_

"_Thank you very much," acknowledged the Diamond Power Angel as the eagle took off. She then made her way down to get a celebratory kiss from Keith._

"_And with that, Denver Qualifying comes to a close with 17 finishers, led by break dancer Lorin Ball, who turned in the fastest time of the night. Other finishers include siblings Andros and Karone Munroe, Keith and Laurie Partridge, all four members of the Wolfpack, as well as the Diamond Power Angel, Eve Torres. The remaining spots in our Top 30 are filled by those who went the farthest, the fastest. Next week, we return to Venice for the first of our five City Finals. Our competitors include the 'Godfather' David Campbell, Kevin Bull, and James 'The Beast' McGrath. For Akbar Gbaja- Biamila, Jenn Brown, and Black Canary, I'm Matt Iseman. And we'll see you next time, on American Ninja Warrior!"_

**Next Time: Venice Finals**


	6. Venice Finals

**6: VENICE FINALS**

"_I'm Matt Iseman, alongside former NFL defensive end Akbar Gbaja-Biamila and Black Canary, and tonight, we begin our City Finals right here in our first stop of Venice Beach, California. Tonight, our Top 30 athletes will compete, looking to secure the first spots for the National Finals in Las Vegas."_

_Akbar continued, "And among our Top 30 here in Venice, we'll see the Godfather, David Campbell, as well as Kevin Bull, and James 'The Beast' McGrath."_

"_Our Top 30 also includes my friend and colleague, J'onn J'onzz, the Martian Manhunter," added Black Canary. "Other competing Justice Leaguers include Power Angels Sabrina Duncan, Jill Munroe, and her sister Kris."_

_Matt finished, "And for more on what our athletes will face, let's go down to Jenn Brown."_

"_Thanks, Matt. The Venice City Finals start with the six obstacles our competitors faced in qualifying: The Quintuple Steps, the Utility Pole Slider, the Bridge of Blades, Rope Swing into Cargo Net, the Ring Toss, and the Warped Wall. However, instead of stopping, athletes must then take on the back half of the course, starting with the Salmon Ladder. Competitors must vault from a mini-tramp, grab the bar, and then hoist themselves up the five rungs. Then, it's the return of the Rumbling Dice, where athletes must grab the 30-pound box and work their way across the twenty-foot track. Next is Rolling Steel. Grab the handlebars, and roll yourself up the slightly-inclined track. And last, but not least, it's the Spider Climb, where athletes must wedge themselves into the chute and climb 30 feet, using only their hands and feet. Reach the top, hit the buzzer, and you are guaranteed a spot in the Nationals Finals in Las Vegas. Matt, Akbar, Dinah, back to you."_

As the competition got underway, several competitors went out surprisingly early. Dorian Cedars and Derek Nakamoto were both tripped up by the Bridge of Blades, while Kyle Cochran and Alan Connealy each went down on the Ring Toss. However, it was now time for the first Ranger of the night to take to the course.

"_Up next is Kimberly Hart-Oliver," said Matt. "And there's her husband, Tommy, whom we'll see compete later tonight, and remember, Akbar, Dinah, Kimberly predicted that she and Tommy would become the first husband and wife to make it to Vegas."_

"_Well, she talked the talk, now it's time to see if she can walk the walk," said Akbar as the timer sounded._

"_Here she goes, beginning her attempt at history," said Dinah as Kimberly made her way through the Quintuple Steps._

_As she easily made it down the Utility Pole Slider, Matt said, "So far, so good, she's through the first two obstacles. Now, for the Bridge of Blades." As Kim sprinted across, Matt continued, "Oh my goodness, right through it, and now she tests the trampoline before she attacks the Rope Swing."_

"_Looks like she's ready," said Akbar. Kimberly charged, hit the tramp,…and grabbed the first rope. "She's got it!"_

"_She's got the second rope, now she's got to reach the net," said Canary. "However, it's going to be a little tougher than in qualifying because the net is now a foot further away."_

"_Reaches out with her feet, she's got it," said Matt as Kim grabbed the net with her feet before grabbing it with her right hand, then her left. "However, she's really high on that net, and this could prove costly."_

"_That's right, Matt," said Akbar. "The higher on the net you are, the worse off you are, because that net can sap your strength within seconds. It's like making your way through quicksand."_

"_She's made it to the platform," said Black Canary. "But, as you said, Akbar, all that time on the cargo net had to take out a lot of her strength, which is going to be tested here on the Ring Toss." Kimberly took a couple of minutes to rest before grabbing the rings. "So far, so good."_

"_But it's only a matter of time before those arms start to burn, and with her shorter arms, it's going to be tough," said Matt._

"_Alright, she's made it to the third plank," said Akbar. "Can she get through?"_

"_Almost there, she's through," continued Matt as Kim successfully made the dismount. "And now, the Warped Wall. It took her two tries to get up in qualifying…" Kim then sprinted right up it! "…but not tonight! She got it on the first try, but now, the Salmon Ladder."_

"_This is going to be a true test of her upper-body strength," said Akbar. "But even if she makes it up, she's still got the Rumbling Dice, and she won't have any opportunity to rest until she gets to Rolling Steel."_

_As Kimberly bounced off the trampoline and grabbed the bar, Canary said, "She's on the Salmon Ladder, and look at this!" Kimberly jumped the bar up the rungs and made it up in under ten seconds!_

_Watching his wife, Tommy cried out, "Alright, Kim! That's how you do it! Now go for the dice!"_

"_And now she's on the Rumbing Dice," continued Dinah. "How will she fare here?"_

_As Kim struggled to get the thirty-pound box moving, Matt said, "And this is where her weight is a disadvantage, she's having a hard time getting that Rumbling Dice rumbling."_

"_But notice how she's not panicking," said Akbar. "She's got to have patience, she cannot go for an early dismount here."_

"_Looks like she heard you, Akbar, she's about halfway through now," said Canary. "A couple of more turns and she may have a chance."_

_As Kimberly kept moving forward, she began looking to the platform. Noticing this, Matt said, "She's looking for the platform, could she be going for the dismount here?" As Kim began swinging, Matt said, "Yes, she is, good swing…and she's there! And Kimberly Hart-Oliver will be the first to tackle Rolling Steel."_

"_Yes!" cried Akbar. "We're that much closer to having our first finisher! Come on, Kim!"_

_From the sidelines, Tommy cried, "Yeah! Good job, Kim! Take a breather!"_

"_And her husband, encouraging her to take her time," said Matt. "Looks like she's taking his advice." Kim took several moments to shake her arms before taking on the ninth obstacle._

"_Looks like she's ready," said Black Canary. "Can Kimberly Oliver be our first finisher?"_

"_Here she goes," said Akbar as Kim attempted to cycle her way up the incline. However, about a third of the way through, she lost her grip! "No! She was so close!"_

"_And Kimberly Oliver out on Rolling Steel," said Matt. "Let's go down to Jenn Brown."_

"_Oh, Kimberly!" cried Jenn as Kim tried to dry herself off. "You got through the Rumbling Dice, we thought you might be our first finisher. What happened out there?"_

"_My grip strength just gave out," admitted Kim. "Between the Salmon Ladder and the Rumbling Dice, they took a lot more out of me than I thought. I thought I took enough time to rest before that last obstacle, but I guess I didn't."_

"_Well, you did make it to the ninth obstacle," said Jenn, "so, hopefully, that will be enough to get you to Vegas. We'll just have to wait and see."_

"_Ooh, I hope so," said Kim nervously. "Fingers crossed." _

_Tommy then pulled Kimberly into a hug and kissed her on top of the head. "I'm proud of you, beautiful," said Tommy._

_Jenn finished, "Matt, Akbar, Dinah, back up to you."_

_Matt said, "Up next at the starting line is our first Justice Leaguer. It's Kris Munroe, the Yellow Power Angel, and guys, her run in qualifying had to be one of the most dramatic runs we've ever seen."_

"_Yeah, and you can see the crowd clearly behind her," agreed Akbar as the crowd chanted, "LET'S GO KRIS!" _

_Once again, Jill, Dan, and Hal were watching from the side, cheering her on. "Come on, Kris!" cried Jill with encouragement._

"_You got this! You beat it before, you can do it again!" added Dan. _

"_Kick this course's a**!" finished Hal. Soon, the timer sounded._

"_Here she is, taking the same approach on the Quintuple Steps as she did in qualifying," said Dinah._

"_Slowly, but surely, she's through," continued Matt. "Now, the Utility Pole Slider, no problem."_

"_Alright, two down, eight to go," said Akbar. "And look at this!"_

"_Long strides as she sprints across the Bridge of Blades!" cried Matt. "But now, the Rope Swing, and testing the trampoline."_

"_Looks like she's ready," said Black Canary. "Here she goes, and she's got the first rope."_

"_Reaches for the second, she's got it," said Matt. "Building momentum, trying to get to that net,…she's got it!"_

"_And look how she's trying to get to the platform as fast as she can," said Akbar. "She knows she's going to need all the strength she can muster, especially for the back half of the course. But first, the Ring Toss."_

"_So far, so good," said Canary. "She seems to look more comfortable than she did in qualifying."_

"_Onto the second plank," said Matt. "Making sure those ring placements are precise, and she's quickly to the third."_

_Once Kris got to the third plank, she let go of the left ring and began swinging on the right. Akbar said, "Looks like she's going for the dismount, on purpose this time."_

"_Well, it worked before," said Matt. Kris easily made the dismount. "And it worked again. And, guys, I think she just wanted to get off as soon as possible."_

"_Perhaps," said Dinah. "But now, she faces the Warped Wall again. And remember, this is not a gimme. She needed all three attempts in qualifying."_

_As Kris failed to get up on the first try, Akbar cried, "No! And that's to your point, Dinah. She stumbled badly on that first attempt."_

"_And if you can't get up the wall quickly, it takes a lot out of you," said Matt as Kris tried again. "No! And once again, she's down to her final attempt."_

"_Come on, Kris!" yelled Dinah from the booth. "Beat that wall!"_

"_This is it," said Dan. "Come on!"_

"_Remember how we practiced it!" cried Jill. "You can do this!"_

_Kris nodded towards her sister and boyfriend as she rested. When she was ready, she tried again…and succeeded! "Yes!" cried Matt. "She did it! Kris Munroe has reached the top of the Warped Wall, but, Akbar, Dinah, she's not done yet."_

"_That's right, Matt," said Akbar with a nod. "She's got four obstacles to go, and she looks exhausted."_

"_Take your time, Kris!" cried Black Canary. "Get your strength back up!" Kris was beating and shaking her arms as well as jogging in place, trying anything and everything to get any amount of strength back in her arms and legs._

_As Kris tested the trampoline before the Salmon Ladder, Matt said, "Looks like she's ready." Kris bounced as hard as she could and was able to reach the bar. "Struggling to get those arms at ninety degrees, can she hold out?"_

_Somehow, Kris managed to make the first jump. "That's one rung," said Akbar. "Three to go. Come on, Kris!" Grimacing, Kris made the second jump, but her arms began straightening._

"_She's on the third rung, but she may not have anything left," observed Black Canary. As Kris began crying out in agony, she miraculously made it to the fourth rung._

"_One more jump, Kris!" cried Jill. "One more!"_

"_Hold on!" yelled Hal. "Fight through it!"_

"_Come on!" screamed Dan. "You're almost there!" Kris' agony was now evident as she screamed at the top of her lungs._

_As the crowed tried to will Kris on, Matt exclaimed, "She only needs one more jump! Can her arms hold out? No!" Finally, the pain and fatigue was too much for the Yellow Power Angel as she lost her grip and fell into the water below. "And Kris Munroe, the Yellow Power Angel, out on the Salmon Ladder."_

_As Kris pulled herself out of the water, the crowd applauded as did the other competitors. As Kris, Dan, and Hal gave her a hug, Akbar said, "Well, Kris Munroe may not be going to Vegas, but I think she's definitely earned the respect of everyone here tonight."_

"_I agree," said Dinah. "You can measure a person's strength, but you can't measure a person's heart. And that's something that Kris has a lot of."_

_Matt said, "Up next is Billy Cranston. He's from Angel Grove, California, and although he finished the qualifying course, it wasn't without a few stumbles along the way. Can he improve on that performance and make it to Vegas?"_

_Trini was standing beside the course. "Let's go, Billy!" she cried. The timer then sounded._

"_Again, cautious approach," said Matt. "But moving fairly quickly, and he's through."_

"_Down the Utility Pole Slider," said Dinah. Billy then sprinted across the Bridge of Blades, managing to stay on his feet this time. "Nicely done!"_

"_And I like what he's doing here," said Akbar. "Taking his time, not rushing anything as he approaches the Rope Swing." He then hit the trampoline, easily grabbing the first rope. He was able to quickly grab the second rope, build his momentum and reach the cargo net. As he climbed down the net, Akbar continued, "Well, this isn't the fastest run we've seen, but he's doing a lot better than he did in qualifying. He's learned from his mistakes and seems much more comfortable."_

"_And now, he approaches the Ring Toss," said Matt. "Is he going to take the same approach he did in qualifying?"_

"_Looks that way," said Black Canary. Just as he did in qualifying, Billy took the same unorthodox approach, and reached the platform. "And it worked."_

"_Now for the Warped Wall," said Akbar. "And right up it!" Billy easily made it up the wall!_

"_Yes!" cried Trini. "Alright, this is where it gets tough!" she called out to her boyfriend. "Take your time!"_

_After taking a few moments to rest, Billy bounced off the trampoline and grabbed the bar on the Salmon Ladder. "Good mount," said Matt as Billy made the first jump. He then made the second, but when he went for the third… "No! Billy Cranston, out on the Salmon Ladder!" _

"_No!" cried Trini as she put her hands over her eyes in devastation._

_Billy shook his head as he climbed out of the water. As he approached his girlfriend, he shrugged and said, "Sorry. I don't know what happened."_

_As Trini gave her boyfriend a consoling hug, Matt asked, "Akbar, Dinah, what happened?"_

"_Well, he looked like he was doing everything right," observed Akbar. "He kept his eyes in the right place, making sure he was watching both sides of the bar. It may have just been a lapse in technique."_

_As the competition continued, Matt said, "Up next is David Truehart. And here to cheer him on is his father Sam, and his girlfriend Katherine Hillard, whom we'll see run later tonight."_

_The timer sounded and David took off. "Same two-footed approach as in qualifying," said Akbar. "He's through."_

_Dinah continued, "Down the Utility Pole Slider,…no problem. And sprints right across the Bridge of Blades!"_

"_Taking a moment," said Matt, "good bounce, he's got the first rope, good transition to the second, and he's on the net."_

"_And trying to get the platform as quickly as he can," said Akbar. "Again, the less time on the net, the more strength and energy he'll have in reserve."_

"_And he's actually slightly ahead of his pace in qualifying," said an impressed Black Canary. "Now, he's at the Ring Toss again."_

_As he made his way across the first plank and onto the second, Matt said, "And once again, swinging from side-to-side. He's onto the third plank, is he going to go for the early dismount?" David was about the start swinging on one ring, when suddenly… "NO! He lost his grip! And the crowd is in shock as David Truehart goes out on the Ring Toss!"_

"_Oh, wow," said a disheartened Canary. "David Truehart looked to have everything under control, but it was suddenly over in the blink of an eye."_

_After getting out of the water, a devastated David kneeled over as Kat and Sam came over to comfort him. Akbar said, "You have to feel for David Truehart. He had such high hopes coming into tonight, but it just wasn't meant to be."_

_Jenn was interviewing Carlos. "I'm here with Carlos Vallerte, who competed here in qualifying. Carlos, you went out early, but your girlfriend Ashley Hammond made it to the Warped Wall, only to fall short. However, it was just good enough to get her into the Top 30. So far, no one has completed the finals course tonight. How do you think she'll do?"_

"_I think if she can just get over that wall, she can beat the whole thing," answered Carlos. "It's like the saying goes, 'Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned,' and trust me, Ashley is BEYOND scorned after going out on the Warped Wall. And whatever she wants, she usually gets. And don't be shocked if she has a little surprise for the crowd tonight." He then finished with a wink._

"_Oh," said Jenn, obviously intrigued by what Carlos meant. "Interesting. I'm looking forward to what her little surprise is. Matt, back up to you."_

"_Well, looks like we're about to find out, because here she comes," said Matt. "It's Ashley Hammond, from Angel Grove, California. She went out on the Warped Wall in qualifying, just made it into the Top 30, and now, here she is, hoping to secure a spot in Las Vegas."_

_Ashley was wearing a light yellow windbreaker with matching exercise pants. She then yanked her pants right off, revealing a skirt underneath. "Hey, what's this?" asked Akbar. She then removed the windbreaker, revealing a cheerleading outfit! "Look at this! The cheerleader, showing us what it's all about! I like it!" This got a big applause from her friends (mainly Carlos), the crowd, and the other competitors, especially Dorian Cedars, a former cheerleader himself._

"_Impressive entrance," said Dinah with a nod. "But can she do tonight what she couldn't do in qualifying?"_

_As the timer sounded, Matt said, "We're about to see, because here she goes!" Ashley cautiously, but quickly made her way through the Quintuple Steps. "Past the first obstacle, and right down the Utility Pole Slider."_

"_And I like what she's doing her on the Bridge of Blades," said Akbar. "She's positioning it with her foot so that she can run down the center, just as she did in qualifying."_

"_Sprints through, now testing the mini-tramp," said Black Canary. "Here she goes, she's got the first rope."_

"_Good momentum, onto the second rope, but can she reach the net?" asked Matt. "It's a foot further away than in qualifying. Reaches for it, and she got it."_

"_Good transition, now she needs to get to the platform as fast as she can," continued Akbar. "She needs to save as much upper-body strength as she possibly can."_

"_She's through, now taking a moment to rest before tackling the Ring Toss," said Matt. "But remember, just because she got through this in qualifying, doesn't guarantee that she'll do it again."_

"_Looks like she's ready," said Canary. "So far, so good, she's progressing at about the same rate she did in qualifying."_

"_That's right," said Akbar. "And look how she's swinging from side-to-side. She's using the momentum to get through and that actually helps conserve arm strength."_

"_She's getting close to the third plank," said Matt. "She's almost there, can she get to the platform?" When she was about halfway through the third plank, she released the left ring, swung on the right, and made the dismount. "Yes, she can, and now, she faces her nemesis, the Warped Wall."_

_As the crowd began chanting, "BEAT THAT WALL," Ashley stared at the top as she mentally readied herself. Walking alongside the course, Carlos said, "Alright, here it is, Ash! This is what you've been waiting for. Come on!"_

"_First attempt…" said Matt as Ashley went for it. "…no! Just got her fingertips on top, but couldn't hold on!"_

"_She's got two attempts left," said Akbar. "If she wants to go to Vegas, she's got to get up this wall."_

"_Here she goes again…," said Dinah. "…no! I thought she had it!"_

_Matt groaned, "Again, she had it and couldn't hold on, and now, she's down to her final attempt."_

_As a frustrated Ashley slammed her fist on the ground and stood up, Akbar said, "This is it! It's do or die now. This is her last shot at the Warped Wall and she's got to make it count."_

"_Come on, Ashley!" yelled Canary. "Get up that wall!"_

"_Here she goes…" began Matt. After taking a deep breath, Ashley gritted her teeth, ran for the wall, reached for the top…and succeeded! "YES! YES! SHE'S GOT IT! ASHLEY HAMMOND HAS CONQUERED THE WARPED WALL!"_

_As the crowd exploded, Carlos yelled, "YEAH! YEAH! THAT'S HOW YOU DO IT! YEAH!"_

_Standing on top of the wall, Ashley was jumping up and down, crying, "YES! YES! YES!" She then pointed at the wall and yelled, "TAKE THAT, WALL!" She then turned and pumped both fists as she prepared to take on the back half of the course._

"_She may have gotten over the Warped Wall, but she's not done yet," reminded Akbar. "Now, she's got to get through the back half of this course, which no one's been able to do."_

"_Yes, and it doesn't get any easier," agreed Black Canary. "The Salmon Ladder alone is tough, and there's no rest until after she gets through the Rumbling Dice."_

"_Here she is, bouncing on the trampoline, she needs to get to the bar," said Matt. Ashley bounced off the trampoline and grabbed the bar. "She's got it. Quieting that body, can she make it up?"_

_Ashley then began her ascent up the rungs. "Looking good," said Dinah. _

"_And notice how she's utilizing that opposite hand grip, popularized by Brian Orosco," said Akbar. "Looks like it's working for her."_

_Canary continued, "One rung to go…oh, bar's uneven!"_

"_But the good news is, she can move on to the Rumbling Dice," said Akbar. "She just needs to grab it…she's got it."_

"_Now, she's got to get that die down the track, and she looks like she's struggling," said Matt. Ashley did indeed appear to struggle as she began rolling the die down the track. She struggled the whole way, and about halfway through, she seemed unable to get it to move. "Uh oh, she's stuck, guys."_

"_Yeah, she is," said Akbar. "But she can't go for the dismount here, she's too far away."_

"_I don't think she has a choice, her arms have to be burning and she's losing her grip," said Canary in concern as Ashley began swinging, trying to build up enough momentum to get to the platform. Even as she swung, though, she could feel her grip slipping. Finally, Ashley decided to let fly…and just made it to the platform, causing the crowd to explode! "WOW! She made it! She actually made it!"_

"_Oh, man, Ashley Hammond is about to give me a heart attack!" exclaimed a clearly-excited Matt._

_As Ashley lay on the ground, exhausted, Akbar said, "Yeah, but the question now is, does she have anything left for the final two obstacles?"_

"_We'll have to see, but I gotta say, Ashley Hammond has won the respect of a lot of people here tonight," continued Matt as Ashley made her way to her feet. She shook her arms and beat on them, doing anything and everything to build her arm and grip strength back up as she approached Rolling Steel._

"_Alright, now it's time for her to face Rolling Steel, which no one has gotten past tonight," said Black Canary. After taking several moments to rest, Ashley grabbed the handlebars and attempted to make her way across the track. Again, she struggled, screaming in agony as she slowly made her way across. As she got close to the platform, she reached out with her feet and secured them. This made it easier for her to roll the handlebars the rest of the way, allowing her to complete the exhausting obstacle._

"_Yes! She's done it!" exclaimed Matt. "She has completed the ninth obstacle, and now she faces the Spider Climb."_

"_But this obstacle is not a gimme," said Akbar. "And with tired arms and legs, she's going to have her work cut out for her."_

"_But this girl has shown a ton of grit and determination, so who are we to say she can't do it?" asked Dinah. "Come on, Ashley! Do it for the girls!" She then placed her hands and feet on the walls and began her climb._

"_Here she goes, thirty feet to the top," said Matt. "Uh oh, she's starting to slip. Looks like she's having trouble with traction here."_

"_Yeah, her shoes are not sticking to the walls," agreed Dinah. Once again, Ashley screamed in agony as she fought her way up the chute._

"_You don't come this far only to give up now," said Akbar. "Come on, Ashley!"_

"_She's in an awkward position, but she is making her way up," said Matt. "Can her arms and legs hold out?"_

"_Slowly, but surely, she's doing it!" cried Black Canary. "Keep going! You can do it!"_

_Watching his girlfriend, Carlos yelled, "Come on, Ashley! Fight it! Fight it!"_

_After what seemed like forever, Ashley finally reached the top! "She's almost there! She's gonna do it!" exclaimed Matt as Ashley pulled herself to the top. "And Ashley Hammond, who barely made it into the Top 30 in qualifying, is gonna be our first finisher in the Venice City Finals!" As she stood up, a clearly-exhausted Ashley held her arms up in triumph before hitting the buzzer._

"_Yes!" cried Akbar. "Ashley Hammond is just the second woman ever to punch her ticket to Mt. Midoriyama! That was one of the most dramatic, heart-stopping, and inspiring runs we have ever seen."_

_Once Ashley was able to make her way down, Matt said, "Let's go down to Jenn Brown."_

_As Ashley was getting hugs from Carlos and her other friends, Jenn came over and said, "Ashley, you did it! You finally beat the Warped Wall, you fought through the back half of our course, and you became our first finisher tonight. How are you feeling?"_

"_I'm exhausted," admitted Ashley. "I'm tired, I'm hurting, I've got little strength left,…I'm beat. I'm beat."_

"_Let's start by asking how it felt to finally get up the Warped Wall?" asked Jenn._

"_Well, my first two attempts, again, I reached the top, but couldn't hold on. But on my last attempt, I finally made it up and felt like I was on top of the world."_

"_Take us through that dismount on the Rumbling Dice. You were only halfway across the track and it looked like your arms were tired."_

"_My arms weren't tired, my arms were DEAD," emphasized Ashley. "I got about halfway through and I just couldn't go any farther. So, I tried to make the dismount, and fortunately, it worked."_

_Jenn then asked, "So, how were you able to get through Rolling Steel and get to the top of the Spider Climb? Because it looked like you were running on fumes then."_

"_You have no idea, Jenn," said Ashley. "I was surprised I had enough strength to get through Rolling Steel, and then on the Spider Climb, my climb started off good, but then I started slipping and realized that my shoes had no traction. I actually didn't think I was gonna make it, but, somehow I did."_

"_So, how does it feel to know that you are going to Mt. Midoriyama?"_

_Ashley smiled and let out a deep breath in relief. "That…that makes the pain I'm in worth it. Viva Las Vegas!"_

"_I like it, I like it. Go celebrate with your friends," said Jenn. "We'll see you in Vegas." Ashley then got a celebratory kiss from Carlos before being mobbed by her friends._

_Dorian Cedars then approached and said, "Hey." The group were surprised to see the veteran as he smiled and said to Ashley, "Heck of a job, girl. You just made cheerleaders everywhere proud." Ashley smiled as they took shook hands and hugged._

After Ashley's run, Kevin Bull became the second finisher. He was followed by Evan Dollard failing on the Rumbling Dice. However, the next Ranger was about to take to the course.

_Matt said, "Approaching the starting line is Daniel Aydelott, an Air Force pilot who put up one of the faster times in qualifying."_

_Kris was walking alongside the course, saying, "Alright, Dan, you got this!"_

"_And there's Kris Munroe, the Yellow Power Angel, who went down on the Salmon Ladder earlier," said Matt. "Now, here to cheer her boyfriend on, hoping he can make it to Vegas."_

_The timer sounded and Dan took off, running across the three steps that were on his left! "WHAT?" cried Akbar. "I didn't see that coming!"_

"_I don't think anyone else did, either," said Canary as Dan made his way down the Utility Pole Slider. "Usually, the parkour athletes are the ones who take that approach." Dan then sprinted across the Bridge of Blades and bounce off the trampoline, grabbing the first rope._

"_And Daniel Aydelott is flying!" exclaimed Matt as he quickly made it to the second rope, made it to the net and got to the platform as quickly as he could. "But it looks like he's slowing down now at the Ring Toss."_

"_That's right, Matt," said Akbar. "He's already seen a few guys go down here tonight, and he doesn't want to be one of them." When he was ready, Dan grabbed the rings and made his way across, taking the same approach he did in qualifying._

"_And again, using that side-to-side motion to try and save his strength," said Dinah. Within moments, he was through and facing the Warped Wall._

"_I like what he's doing here, shaking his arms to make sure that lactic acid doesn't built up," observed Akbar as Dan took a moment to shake his arms before exploding up the wall on his first try._

"_Right up it, and now, the Salmon Ladder," said Matt as Dan took a moment to compose himself before hitting the trampoline. "Good mount, and making it look easy, he's through the Salmon Ladder!"_

"_Yes!" exclaimed Kris as Dan beat the obstacle that had taken her out. "Great job, Dan!"_

"_Wow!" said a clearly-impressed Akbar. "And now, look at this! He's moving the Rumbling Dice like it's nothing!"_

"_Yeah, that die is heavy, but it's not slowing him down one bit," said Black Canary as Dan made the dismount._

"_And here he is at Rolling Steel," said Matt. "Can he get through yet another upper-body test?" When he was ready, Dan grabbed hold…and flew across! "Yes, he can! No trouble at all, and now thirty feet of Spider Climb is all that stands between him and a guaranteed spot in Las Vegas!"_

"_Again, taking a moment to compose himself," said Akbar. When he was ready, Dan began his climb…and flew right up! "WHAT? This guy's a human elevator!"_

"_And Daniel Aydelott has done it, he is going to Las Vegas!" exclaimed Matt as Dan reached the top and hit the buzzer. "He just put up the fastest time of the night thus far!"_

"_You can't do it any better than that," said Black Canary. "Congrats, Dan, you earned it." From the ground, Kris blew a kiss with both hands towards her boyfriend, Dan returning the gesture._

"_Let's go down to Jenn Brown, who's with a triumphant Dan Aydelott," said Matt._

_Jenn approached as Dan and Kris shared a kiss. "Dan, I am speechless right now. You dominated our course, you made it look easy, and you just put up the fastest time so far. How does it feel to know that you are going to Mt. Midoriyama?"_

"_It's amazing," said Dan. "This experience has just been awesome, and I'm glad I'm going to get the chance to continue in Vegas."_

"_First of all, take me through the Salmon Ladder, were you doing that for Kris, knowing that she had fallen there?"_

"_In a way, I was," admitted Dan. "I knew I had to do it for her, but I also knew that if I could get through it, I had a good chance of making it to the end, and that's what happened."_

_Jenn nodded and said, "Well, again, congratulations, go celebrate with your friends."_

"_Thank you very much, Jenn." Dan and Kris shared another kiss before approaching their friends._

"_Up next is Sabrina Duncan, the Blue Power Angel," said Matt. The timer sounded and Bree took off. "And here she goes, being cautious on the Quintuple Steps."_

"_Yeah, after here near-stumble in qualifying, Sabrina doesn't want a repeat," said Akbar. "And she's through."_

"_Now for the Utility Pole Slider, no problem," said Dinah. "And right across the Bridge of Blades!"_

"_Still on her feet, off the trampoline, she's got the first rope," continued Matt. "Gets the second rope, can she reach the cargo net?" Sabrina answered by reaching out with one arm, grabbing it and releasing the rope once she had a hold of the net. "She's got it, now she's got to get underneath."_

"_And I like what she's doing here," said Akbar, "taking short breaks between obstacles. She knows she's got a long way to go and she needs to save her strength any way she can."_

"_Looks like she's ready for the Ring Toss," said Black Canary. "And notice how she's swinging from side-to-side, just as she did in qualifying."_

"_And again, the best performance on the Ring Toss we've seen tonight," said Matt as Sabrina got through. "Taking a moment to rest before facing the Warped Wall…and right up it! But now, she faces the back half of the course."_

"_And there's her mother, boyfriend, and kids walking alongside the course," pointed out Akbar as Aaron, the kids, and Bree's mom were doing just that and taking it all in. "They have to be very proud of what Sabrina Duncan is doing."_

"_Looks like she's ready to try the Salmon Ladder," said Canary as Bree bounced off the trampoline and grabbed the bar. "And look how calm she looks as she makes her way up."_

"_Perfect technique, and she's got the Rumbling Dice," said Matt. "And Sabrina Duncan making it look easy!"_

"_The Blue Power Angel showing everyone how it's done!" exclaimed Akbar as Sabrina made the dismount. She then took a few moments to rest and shake her arms before tackling Rolling Steel._

"_Looks like she's ready for Rolling Steel," said Matt as Sabrina grabbed the handles and steadily made her way across._

"_And Sabrina's looking much more comfortable than Ashley Hammond did," said Akbar. "And she's through the ninth obstacle."_

"_But she still has the Spider Climb to go," pointed out Black Canary. "Thirty feet is all that stands between her and a trip to Vegas, and I think she's going to do it."_

"_She's wiping her shoes and hands, making sure she can get good traction," said Matt before Sabrina began her climb. "Here she goes, and making her way up. And Sabrina Duncan, the Blue Power Angel, is the first Justice Leaguer to punch her ticket to Mt. Midoriyama!" Her kids, mother, and Aaron all cheered in excitement as Sabrina hit the buzzer. She just smiled and blew them all a kiss. As she made her way down, Matt said, "Let's go down to Jenn Brown, who's with a triumphant Sabrina Duncan."_

_As Sabrina hugged her mother and children and got a kiss from Aaron, Jenn approached and said, "Sabrina, congratulations, you are the first Justice Leaguer this season to secure your spot in the National Finals in Las Vegas. How are you feeling right now?"_

"_I feel awesome," answered Sabrina with a smile. "Tired, but awesome. This has been an amazing experience, and I'm glad I'm going to get a chance to continue. It's been a while since I've been to Sin City."_

"_So, do you think you can be the first American Ninja Warrior?"_

"_We'll have to wait and see. But right now, I just want to enjoy the moment, and go celebrate with the people I love."_

_Nodding Jenn said, "I'll let you go and do just that. Matt, Akbar, Dinah, back up to you."_

_Matt said, "Up next at the starting line is Jason Lee Scott. He was the first of many competitors from Angel Grove who completed our qualifying course. Can he do it again tonight?" The timer sounded and Jason took off._

_As Jason cautiously made it through the Quintuple Steps, Akbar said, "Jason is one of the bigger competitors, so it's going to be important that he take his time and conserve his energy."_

"_I agree," said Dinah. "It's like you guys have always said, this course doesn't favor big guys. But, so far, so good." Jason easily made it down the Utility Pole Slider before dashing over the Bridge of Blades, diving for the platform! "Oh! Hard impact!"_

"_But he's through, and to your point, Akbar, he's taking his time between obstacles," pointed out Matt._

_As Jason hit the trampoline and grabbed the first rope, Akbar said, "That's right, Matt, the more rest he can get between obstacles, the better his chances." As Jason got the second rope and made it onto the net, Akbar continued, "And notice how he's trying to get off that net as quickly as he can. The less time he spends on it, the better."_

_As Jamie walked beside the course, Matt said, "And there's his girlfriend Jamie Zedden, whom we'll see run later tonight."_

"_Alright, he's through, now for the Ring Toss," said Black Canary. Once he felt he was rested enough, Jason attacked the obstacle, keeping his arms at ninety degrees as he made his way across as quickly as he could without being reckless. "Good, good. Arms are bent, he wants off, and he's got it!"_

"_Now, he faces the Warped Wall…" began Matt, "…and right up it! Jason Lee Scott is through the first six obstacles, now for the back half of the course, starting with the Salmon Ladder."_

"_And again, Jason is taking his time," said Akbar. "In a way, he reminds me of Noah Kaufman. He's not the fastest guy on the course, but as long as he finishes, he'll be okay."_

_Jason finally hit the trampoline and grabbed the bar. "Good mount," said Canary. He then made his way up perfectly! "Great technique, now on to the Rumbling Dice."_

"_He's got it, and rocking from side-to-side, trying to get it moving," said Matt. "But the sooner he can make the dismount, the sooner he can rest."_

_About three-fourths of the way across, Jason began swinging for the dismount. "Looks like he's going for it," said Akbar. "He's got it!" The crowd cheered as Jason landed on his feet and began shaking his arms and beating on them, trying to get his strength back up._

_From beside the course, Jamie cried, "Alright, Jason! You're almost there! Keep going, take your time!"_

_Once he felt he had rested enough, Jason took on Rolling Steel. Dinah said, "Now for Rolling Steel, and look at this!" Jason let out a primal scream as he made his way across. "Aggressively attack Rolling Steel, and he's through! Just one obstacle to go!" _

"_And Jason Lee Scott, thirty feet away from punching his ticket to Las Vegas!" exclaimed Matt. "Can he do it?"_

"_Here he goes," said Akbar as Jason began his climb. "He's doing okay. He's almost there!"_

"_And just as he did in qualifying, Jason Lee Scott hits the buzzer, he is going to Las Vegas!"_

_After hitting the buzzer, Jason screamed, "YEAH!" as everyone cheered, none more so than Jamie and his friends. And when he got down, he immediately went to Jamie for a celebratory kiss._

"_Our next competitor is approaching the starting line," said Matt. "It's Trini Kwan, from Angel Grove, California."_

_Watching his girlfriend from beside the course, Billy said, "Alright, Trini, you can do this! Show that course who's boss!"_

"_And there's Billy Cranston, who fell at the Salmon Ladder earlier," said Matt. "Can Trini succeed where her boyfriend failed?" The timer sounded and Trini took off._

"_Once again, using both feet on the Quintuple Steps," said Akbar. "And she's through."_

"_On to the Utility Pole Slider," said Black Canary. "No problem, but how will she fare on the Bridge of Blades?"_

"_Sprints right through it, and the bridge barely moved!" exclaimed Matt. "Taking a moment…" Trini took a deep breath before hitting the trampoline. "…she's got the first rope, right into the second."_

"_Building momentum, she's on the net," said Akbar. "And notice how she managed to get low. That's going to save her a lot of strength, which she's going to need here on the Ring Toss."_

"_Not to mention the back half of the course, assuming she gets there," pointed out Canary. As Trini flew across the planks, Dinah exclaimed, "And again, look at her speed! She is not fazed at all by the Ring Toss!"_

"_And quickly, she's through," said Matt as Trini took a moment before attacking the Warped Wall. "And again, right up the Warped Wall! But now, she faces the Salmon Ladder."_

"_Once again, she's centering herself," said Akbar. "And making sure she doesn't make a mistake." Trini hit the trampoline and grabbed the bar with ease. "Look at this!"_

"_Right up the Salmon Ladder, and she's already on the Rumbling Dice!" exclaimed Matt as Trini began working her way across the track._

"_Wow, she's making the Rumbling Dice look easy," said Dinah, almost in awe._

"_She's moving the die like it's nothing," said a nearly speechless Akbar. Trini was quickly through and took a moment to rest and prepare herself for Rolling Steel._

"_Looks like she's ready for Rolling Steel," said Matt. "Here she goes, and she's through. Nine obstacles down, and now the Spider Climb is all that stands between Trini Kwan and a trip to Vegas. Can she make it to the top?"_

"_Again, centering herself before she begins her climb," said Akbar. When she was ready, Trini began her climb…and flew right up it! "WHAT?"_

"_And Trini Kwan, making it look easy," said Matt as Trini reached the top and hit the buzzer. "Didn't even break a sweat and Trini Kwan is going to Vegas!"_

_From the ground, Billy applauded his girlfriend and pumped a fist, crying out, "YEAH!" Trini smiled and blew Billy a kiss before making her way down._

_Matt said, "Up next, hoping to join her friend Trini in Las Vegas is Samantha Dean, who turned in the fastest time of all the females in qualifying."_

_Skull was in the audience, clapping as he cried out, "Come on, Sam!" The timer went off and Samantha took off._

"_Good two-footed technique," said Akbar. "She's through."_

"_That's one obstacle down," said Black Canary. "Check one." Samantha then easily made it down the Utility Pole Slider. "Check two."_

"_And again, showing no fear as she crosses the Bridge of Blades, hits the trampoline and grabs the rope!" exclaimed Matt as Samantha quickly made her way across both ropes and down the cargo net._

"_And Samantha Dean wants off that cargo net in the worst way," said Akbar._

"_She's through, and now taking her time to rest before tackling the Ring Toss," said Black Canary as Samantha mentally readied herself for the her first upper-body test of the night._

"_Moving quickly and methodically," said Matt. "Just like she did in qualifying. She knows the faster she can get through this, the better." Once off the rings, Samantha attacked the Warped Wall and made it up! "Wow! Right up it, and she's already reached the back half!"_

"_But, remember, it's almost all upper-body here, so she can't take these obstacles lightly," said Akbar._

"_Looks like she heard you, Akbar," said Dinah as Samantha took a moment to compose herself before attempting the Salmon Ladder._

"_Good mount," said Matt as Samantha grabbed the bar. "Again, utilizing that opposite-hand grip, and she looks really comfortable."_

"_She's through the Salmon Ladder," said Akbar as Samantha grabbed the Rumbling Dice. "But, now, let's see what she can do on the Rumbling Dice."_

_Samantha seemed to do fine, getting the die halfway across the track. However, she then began started swinging. "Wait a minute, is she going for the dismount already?" asked Dinah in surprise. "I don't know if this is wise."_

"_She's trying to do what Ashley Hammond did earlier," said Matt. Samantha then let fly…only to face-plant onto the landing platform, which sent her crashing into the water! "NO! Samantha Dean is out! And I just hope she's okay after that impact!"_

_Seeing his girlfriend fall, Skull cringed and cried out, "YIKES!" He then jumped out of the stands and ran over to the course as Samantha got out of the water. "Sam, are you alright?"_

_Samantha waved off the medics as well as the security guards who were trying to get Skull back into the audience while checking her jaw to make sure nothing was broken or worse. "Yeah, I think I'm good. I don't seem to have broken anything. But, now I know how Mike Bernardo felt two years ago." Two years prior, Michael Bernardo had attempted a similar dismount to what Samantha had just tried, only to meet with the same fate. The crowd, their friends, and the other competitors applauded as Samantha and Skull hugged, thankful that she was okay despite her failure._

After Samantha's fall, James "The Beast" McGrath finished the course, followed by both James Sclar and Dan Mast each going out on the Salmon Ladder for the second year in a row. But now, the next Justice Leaguer was ready to run.

_Matt said, "Looking to get things back on track is our next Justice Leaguer. It's Jill Munroe, the Red Power Angel, who put on a show in qualifying." Kris, Hal, and Dan were by the course as Jill waited for the timer._

"_Alright, Jill, you got this!" cried Kris as she applauded her sister._

"_Just take your time, and you'll be fine," advised Dan._

"_You do know who you're talking to, right?" asked Hal with a smirk._

"_Oh, you think you know me so well, don't you?" responded Jill with a big smile. The timer then sounded._

"_And here she goes, making her way through the Quintuple Steps with ease," said Matt._

"_Here's the Utitlity Pole Slider," said Black Canary. "No problem."_

"_Now, for the Bridge of Blades and right through it!" exclaimed Akbar. "I think this girl wants to light this course on fire!"_

"_But if she hits the water, her fire will be put out quickly," said continued Matt as Jill hit the trampoline and grabbed the first rope. Using her momentum, she grabbed the second rope, and took a couple of swings before reaching as low on the cargo net as she possibly could._

"_And notice how she made a conscious effort to grab low on the net," pointed out Dinah as Jill tried to get the platform as fast as she could. "Little things like that can mean the difference between victory and defeat."_

"_Jill wisely taking her time here at the Ring Toss," said Matt as Jill shook her arms while jogging in place. When she was finally ready, Matt continued, "And just as she did in qualifying, swinging side-to-side."_

"_She needs to get through this as quickly as she can," said Akbar. "She's going to need every ounce of upper-body strength she can muster for the back half of this course."_

"_Alright, she's through," said Dinah. "And once again, she faces the Warped Wall…and makes it up in one go!"_

"_But this is where it becomes so difficult," said Akbar. "This will test Jill Munroe's limits in ways I don't think she's ever been tested before."_

"_Well, if you ask me, that's just great motivation, and look at this!" cried Matt as Jill quickly got up the Salmon Ladder! "The speed she has on the Salmon Ladder is ridiculous, and look what she's doing on the Rumbling Dice!" Jill screamed at the top of her lungs as she turned the die like a woman possessed!_

"_Wow," said Akbar. "This woman is on a mission. She wants that spot in Vegas, and I believe she's going to get it."_

_As Jill made the dismount, Canary continued, "She's through. Just two obstacles left." After taking a few moments to rest, Jill tackled Rolling Steel._

"_Looks to be struggling a little, but not giving up," said Matt. "She's almost there. She's got it. And now, the Red Power Angel looks to join her fellow Angel Sabrina Duncan in Vegas."_

"_Here she goes," said Canary as Jill approached the Spider Climb, positioned herself, and began climbing the chute. "I think she's got it!"_

"_Indeed she does," agreed Akbar. "Oh my goodness!"_

"_And she has done it, Jill Munroe has punched her ticket to Mt. Midoriyama!" exclaimed Matt as Kris, Dan, and Hal began celebrated while everyone else showered her with thunderous applause. In response, she treated everyone to another impromptu fireworks show. Even Matt and Akbar enjoyed it!_

_As the next competitor approached the starting line, Matt said, "That's going to be a tough act to follow, but our next competitor is sure going to try. It's Tommy Oliver, from Angel Grove, California." Kimberly was shown standing beside the course. "And there's his wife Kimberly, who we saw compete earlier, ready to cheer her husband on."_

"_Let's go, Tommy!" cried Kimberly. "Take us to Vegas!"_

_The timer sounded, and Tommy took off! "Bounding through the Quintuple Steps!" cried Matt. "Down the Utility Pole Slider, and right through the Bridge of Blades!"_

"_Hits the trampoline, he's got the first rope," continued Akbar. "Can he keep up this pace?"_

"_So far, so good," said Dinah. "He's got the second rope, and leaps for the net! He's got it!"_

"_Tommy Oliver with a reckless pace, and he's already at the Ring Toss," said Matt._

"_But I think he would be wise to slow down here," said Akbar. "This obstacle took out his brother earlier, and that has to weigh on his mind."_

"_Looks like he's taking your advice, Akbar," said Black Canary. "He's taking a measured approach on the Ring Toss, but it seems to be working." When he was far enough, he swung for the dismount and made it before sprinting up the Warped Wall!_

"_No hesitation, and right up the Warped Wall!" exclaimed Matt. "And Tommy Oliver is blowing this course away!"_

"_But, again, he needs to slow down here on this back half of the course," said Akbar. "He can't afford to rush and make a mistake."_

"_Again, it looks like he heard you, Akbar," said Dinah. "Taking a moment before attempting the Salmon Ladder." When he was ready, Tommy bounced off the mini-tramp and grabbed the bar. He then made his way up within a matter of seconds!_

"_Wow!" exclaimed Akbar. "He just made the Salmon Ladder look easy! And he's already on the Rumbling Dice!"_

"_Taking big swings, he is having no trouble getting that Rumbling Dice rumbling," continued Matt. "Going for the dismount, and he's got it. Now, on to Rolling Steel!"_

"_And he's not slowing down!" cried Canary. "Look at him go!"_

"_He is killing this course!" yelled Akbar. "This young man is big-time, prime-time, show-time, all-time!"_

"_And here he is at the Spider Climb, and he is flying up it!" yelled Matt. "And Tommy Oliver has done, he is going to Vegas! And he just beat Daniel Aydelott's time by almost ten seconds! And just look at his wife, she is overjoyed!"_

_Kimberly was screaming and jumping with excitement at seeing her husband on top. Spotting his wife, Tommy smiled and blew her a kiss, Kim returning the gesture._

_Matt said, "Up next, looking to match his friend Tommy's performance is Adam Park." Tanya, his father, and his siblings were standing beside the course. "And there's his girlfriend Tanya Sloan, whom we saw compete in qualifying, along with his father, his younger brother Franklin, and his older sister Jessica, who came all the way from Denver to watch her brother compete." The timer sounded, and Adam took off. "Once again bounding through the Quintuple Steps."_

"_Easily down the Utility Pole Slider," added Akbar. "Pauses…and right across the Bridge of Blades."_

"_Pauses again," continued Canary. "Good bounce, he's got the first rope, grabs the second almost immediately!"_

"_Building that momentum," said Matt. "He's got the net, and climbing down as fast as he can so he can conserve his strength."_

"_Alright, he's through," said Akbar. "And I like what he's doing here, shaking out his arms, trying to keep the lactic acid out before tackling the Ring Toss."_

"_Last time, he was able to get through the Ring Toss fairly quickly," said Dinah. "If he can get through at much the same pace, he's got a good chance of finishing." Adam then did just that, quickly crossing the obstacle without a hiccup._

"_Very nice!" commented Franklin. "Good job, bro!"_

"_You got this, Adam," said Jessica. "Just keep going at your own pace." Adam then made it up the Warped Wall on the first try, much to everyone's delight!"_

"_Yes!" cried Adam's father with a fist-pump. "Good job, son! Now, finish it through!"_

"_And Adam's family liking what they're seeing as he approaches the Salmon Ladder," continued Matt. Adam then bounced off the trampoline, grabbed the bar, and made it up in a matter of seconds._

"_Perfect technique and speed!" exclaimed Akbar. "You can't do the Salmon Ladder any better than that, and look at this!"_

"_Taking big swings as he tries to get the Rumbling Dice down the track," continued Black Canary. "Now, he looks like he's going for the dismount."_

"_Big swings, and he's through!" cried Matt. "And Adam Park making it look easy as he takes a moment to rest before taking on Rolling Steel."_

"_You're doing awesome, Adam!" cried Tanya from beside the course. "Two more to go, come on!"_

"_Looks like he's ready," said Akbar while Adam took a deep breath as he grabbed the handles…and flew through it!" "WHAT?"_

"_And Adam Park with an impressive run, and he has only one obstacle to go!" exclaimed Matt as Adam positioned himself into the Spider Climb. "And here he goes, no trouble as he makes his way up, and he has done it! Adam Park is going to Las Vegas!" In a rare display of raw emotion, Adam let out a celebratory yell as Tanya, his family, his friends, and the crowd all cheered loudly. "Let's go down to Jenn Brown."_

_Once back on the ground, Jenn said, "Adam, you just dominated our course. Was there any point in which you were nervous?"_

"_Yeah, I was nervous throughout the whole thing," admitted Adam. "But I knew that if I just believed in myself, believed in my abilities and training, and just took everything one at a time, I could make it through, and I did."_

"_Well, congratulations, we will see you in Vegas."_

_Smiling, Adam said, "Thank you very much." He then stole a kiss from Tanya and shared a hug with Jessica, Franklin, and his dad before going to celebrate with his friends._

"_Matt, Akbar, Dinah, back to you."_

"_Up next is Jamie Zedden," said Matt as Jamie approached the starting line. Jason, Larry, and Leslie were standing beside the course. "And there's her boyfriend Jason Lee Scott, who completed our course earlier, and well as her parents, ready to cheer her on."_

_The timer sounded. "Good technique on the Quintuple Steps," said Akbar as Jamie used both feet to make her way across. "Making sure she doesn't make a mistake, and she's through."_

"_One obstacle down, nine to go," said Dinah. As Jamie made her way down the Utility Pole Slider, Canary continued, "Two down, eight to go. No hesitation, and sprints right across the Bridge of Blades!"_

"_Jamie Zedden attacking our course with confidence as she tests the trampoline," continued Matt. "Here she goes, and she's got the first rope! Good momentum, and she's got the second."_

"_Yeah, but that net is a foot further away than in qualifying," said Akbar. Jamie reached for the net with her foot and got it. "But she figured it out. But, she's still pretty high up, so she needs to move it."_

"_Looks like she's trying to do just that," agreed Black Canary. "The sooner she gets off that net, the better."_

_Once Jamie got to the platform, Matt said, "Strong performance, but this is where it starts to get difficult. Taking her time to rest, wanting to make sure she's ready." After taking several moments to rest, Jamie finally began attacking the Ring Toss._

"_Take your time, Jamie, take your time," said Larry as he watched his daughter._

_As she started making her way across, Jason added, "Good, Jamie, good. Stay focused, keep that momentum up."_

"_You can do it, honey, just take your time and concentrate!" encouraged Leslie._

"_No pain, Jamie, no pain," continued Larry._

"_Looks like she's ready to try for the dismount," said Matt as Jamie began swinging from side-to-side. "She's got it. And now, she faces the Warped Wall."_

"_It took her all three tries to get through it in qualifying…," said Akbar. "…but not tonight!" Jamie made it up on the first try, much to everyone's delight!_

"_Yes," Jamie whispered to herself. She then began trying to beat the strength back into her arms before approaching the Salmon Ladder._

"_The Salmon Ladder is going to be tough," said Black Canary. "But even if she gets through it, she won't have any rest until she gets through the Rumbling Dice."_

"_Here she goes, good mount," continued Matt as Jamie bounced off the tramp and grabbed the bar. She made it up the first two rungs with little trouble, but the third jump landed uneven! "Uh oh, bar uneven!" She quickly managed to correct herself before trying to make the last jump…only to land uneven again!_

"_And the bar's uneven again!" cried Akbar. "But the good news is, she can move on to the Rumbling Dice. Grab it!"_

_As Jamie grabbed the Rumbling Dice, Jason said, "Good, good! You got it, now fight through it!"_

_As Jamie tried to move the die along the track, it was clear she was running out of gas. Akbar said, "Uh oh, she's struggling. I don't know if she has enough strength left to get through." Moments later, Akbar was proven right as Jamie lost her grip and fell into the water._

_As Jamie pulled herself out of the water, Matt said, "And Jamie Zedden out on the Rumbling Dice, but what an incredible run." Everyone applauded Jamie as she hugged Jason and her parents._

_As the next competitor approached, Matt said, "Up next at the starting line is Katherine Hillard." As David stood by the course, Matt continued, "And there's her boyfriend David Truehart, who we saw compete earlier."_

"_Come on, Kat, you got this!" cried David as he cheered his girlfriend on._

_The timer sounded. "And Kat with a cautious approach, but moving fairly quickly," said Matt._

"_Easily down the Utility Pole Slider," continued Akbar. She then positioned the Bridge of Blades with her foot so she could run down the middle and sprinted across. "And she's quickly through the first three obstacles."_

"_Now, for the Rope Swing, good bounce, she's got the first rope," said Matt as Kat moved almost faster than he could speak. "She has the second rope, reaches for the net with her foot, and she's got it!"_

"_Kat's height is really serving her well," said Dinah as the Pink Zeo Ranger quickly got to the platform. "However, she can't take the Ring Toss for granted. This is what took out her boyfriend, David."_

_Watching his girlfriend, David said, "Alright, Kat, concentrate. Don't make the same mistake I did."_

_Kat was able to quickly traverse the Ring Toss, her reach serving her well. When she was ready, she swung for the dismount and made it. "She's through, now for the Warped Wall," said Matt._

"_Taking a moment to collect herself…" began Akbar. "…and right up it! Last time, it took her two tries, this time, she needed only one!"_

"_But, now for the back half," said Canary. "Starting with the Salmon Ladder."_

_After taking a few moments to rest, Kat bounced off the trampoline and grabbed the bar. "Trying to quiet that body," said Matt as Kat tried to stop herself from swinging. She then made the first jump, but the bar got uneven on the second. "Little uneven, but she corrects." Kat then went for the third jump, the bar got uneven again…and this time, Kat wasn't able to hang on! "Uneven again, and NO! Katherine Hillard out on the Salmon Ladder! Akbar, Dinah, what happened?"_

"_Well, she made the first jump fine," said Akbar. "However, on the second jump, the bar went crooked, and although she was able to save herself the first time, she couldn't hold on the second time."_

"_Yeah, that third jump just jarred her hands loose," agreed Canary._

_As Kat walked off the course, she said, "The Salmon Ladder was the one thing I was most nervous about and it got me. I'm so disappointed."_

"_Our next competitor is Andrea Thomas," said Matt as Andrea approached the starting line. "And once again cheering her on is her fanbase from Lockspur, including Dr. Joshua Barnes, Cindy Lee, and Rennie Carol."_

_The timer sound. "Here she goes," said Akbar. "Can the teacher school this course?" Andrea easily made it through the Quintuple Steps before sailing down the Utility Pole Slider._

"_Already at the Bridge of Blades,…" began Canary. "…and a hard impact as she dives for the platform!"_

"_Oh, wow," said Akbar. "That was a close call."_

"_But now, here she is on the Rope Swing, she's got the first rope," continued Matt. "Now, she's got the second. Can she get to the cargo net?"_

"_Reaches for it, and she's got it," continued Dinah. "Now, she's gotta get to that platform ASAP."_

"_I think she heard you, Dinah," agreed Akbar. "She is moving with urgency."_

"_Now, here she is at the Ring Toss, her first upper-body test tonight," said Matt. Andrea took her time, making sure every ring placement was precise. "Making her way smoothly, but taking a lot of time."_

"_Yeah, Matt," agreed Akbar. "She's making sure she doesn't make a mistake, but this could really tax her strength, which she's going to need for the back half of the course."_

"_Right now, though, I think that's the last thing on Andrea's mind," said Black Canary. "She's through. And taking her time to rest before tackling the Warped Wall."_

_From the crowd, Rennie cried, "Go, Miss Thomas! Take your time! You've got this!"_

"_Beat that wall, Miss Thomas!" added Cindy._

"_Save your strength, Andrea!" Dr. Barnes called out. "You're going to need it! Take your time!"_

_When she was ready, Andrea made it up the Warped Wall on the first try. "And she's up the wall, she needed that," said Matt._

"_Absolutely," agreed Akbar. "By getting up the Warped Wall on the first try, she saved a lot of precious energy."_

"_And now, the Salmon Ladder, followed by the Rumbling Dice," continued Canary. "She won't have any rest until she gets through both of these obstacles."_

_Andrea bounced off the trampoline and grabbed the bar. "Good mount," said Matt. She then made her way up, but on the third jump, the bar got uneven. "Bar uneven, tries to save it, and she does."_

"_But every little mistake could prove costly," continued Akbar as Andrea attempted to make the final jump. "Again, the bar's uneven, but that's okay, she can move on to the Rumbling Dice."_

"_Yeah, the sooner she grabs it, the better," agreed Dinah. "She's got it. Now, can she get it moving?"_

"_Slowly, but surely, she's making her way across," said Matt. "But she needs to try and make the dismount as soon as she possibly can."_

"_It looks like she's going for it now," said Akbar as Andrea attempted to swing to safety. She went for the dismount…and barely made it! "Oh! Just inches away from the water!"_

"_But the important thing is, she's safe," said Canary. "And now, she's two obstacles away from Vegas."_

"_However, she has to be running out of gas here," said Matt. "I don't know if she's got enough strength left to get through Rolling Steel."_

"_Looks like we're about to find out," said Akbar. "Here she goes..." Andrea began pedaling her way across the water…but fell into the water less than a third of the way across. "No! She's out!"_

_As Andrea pulled herself out of the water, Matt said, "Andrea Thomas, out on Rolling Steel, but what a fantastic effort."_

"_Yeah," agreed Black Canary. "She's getting a standing ovation, and she deserves every bit of it."_

"_Let's go down to Jenn Brown."_

_As Andrea dried off, Jenn said, "Andrea, you were doing so well, you made it to the ninth obstacle, but couldn't finish, can you tell me what happened?"_

"_I just ran out of energy," admitted Andrea. "After the Salmon Ladder and the Rumbling Dice, I didn't have any strength left. I just hope I did enough to make it to Vegas."_

"_Well, I can tell you right now, that with only three runners left, you are currently in 12__th__ place," said Jenn with a smile. "That means you are safely in our Top 15, so you are going to Mt. Midoriyama. You went far enough, fast enough."_

_As everyone from Lockspur began celebrating, Andrea smiled and said, "Thank you very much. I look forward to seeing everyone there." She then went to hug her friends and celebrate. Among those who approached her was Kimberly._

"_And there is Kimberly Hart-Oliver," said Matt. "She, too, fell on Rolling Steel earlier tonight, but since she got there faster than Andrea Thomas did, she is currently in the number 11 spot. So, she too, is in the Top 15, and will be moving on to Las Vegas. That makes her and her husband Tommy the first married couple to make it to Mt. Midoriyama."_

"_They made history, just as they said they would," said Black Canary as Tommy and Kimberly kissed. "They wanted to be the first married couple to qualify for Vegas and they did it."_

"_That is big time," said Akbar. "And the night's not over yet." Indeed, as there were still three competitors left and one was approaching now._

"_Up next at the starting line is our final Justice Leaguer of the night," said Matt. "It's J'onn J'onnz, the Martian Manhunter!"_

_The timer sounded and J'onn took off. "And again, moving very cautiously through the Quintuple Steps," said Akbar._

"_Yes, with his size, he can't blaze through like some of the other competitors," said Black Canary. "But now that he's through, he should be okay as long as he doesn't get careless." Martian Manhunter easily made it down the Utility Pole Slider before positioning the Bridge of Blades so that he could run down the center._

"_Going for the trampoline, and he's got the first rope," said Matt as J'onn took on the Rope Swing. "He's got the second rope, building momentum, and onto the cargo net."_

"_Ordinarily, being that high up is not ideal, but as you've said, Dinah, he doesn't get tired easily, so he should fine, right?" asked Akbar._

"_Yes," answered Canary. "As I've said before, as long as he doesn't make a careless mistake, he should be okay." It was evident that J'onn wasn't going to make a silly slip-up as he made his way through the Ring Toss. Once he was far enough, he swung to the side and made the dismount._

"_And look at this, brute-forcing his way up the Warped Wall, just as he did in qualifying!" exclaimed Matt as Martian Manhunter reached the back half of the course. "I'm anxious to see what he does on the Salmon Ladder." J'onn bounced off the trampline, grabbed the bar, and began making his way up, using an unorthodox swinging method._

"_Wow, look at those big swings he's taking!" exclaimed Akbar. "I don't think I've ever seen anyone do a swinging kip in competition before."_

"_Well, it seems to be working, and he's up!" said Dinah as J'onn made it to the Rumbling Dice. "And look how easily he's moving the box along the track!"_

"_That super-strength certainly coming into play as he makes his way across," said Matt as Martian Manhunter soon reached the platform and went right into Rolling Steel without taking a break. "And making Rolling Steel look easy, he's through!"_

"_This is it, the Spider Climb," said Akbar. "If he can make it up, the Martian Manhunter is going to be the first alien to complete a city finals course."_

"_Uh-oh, looks like he's slipping a little," said Dinah. "But he is holding himself up. I think he's going to do it."_

"_You're right, Dinah," said Matt as J'onn reached the top. "And J'onn J'onnz, the Martian Manhunter, is going to Las Vegas!" J'onn gently hit the buzzer as everyone cheered. "Let's go down to Jenn Brown."_

"_J'onn, the first alien to attempt our course, the first to successfully complete it, what has this experience been like for you?"_

"_I must admit, it has been a lot of fun," confessed Martian Manhunter. "It has been a great challenge, not only for myself, but my fellow Justice Leaguers. Hopefully, more of them can join me, and I look forward to seeing what Vegas has to offer."_

_Jenn said, "Well, congratulations, we'll see you in Las Vegas."_

_J'onn smiled and said, "Thank you very much."_

"_Matt, Akbar, Dinah, back up to you."_

After J'onn's run, the next-to-last runner of the night was "The Godfather" David Campbell, who completed the course flawlessly. But there was still one more to go.

"_It all comes down to this," said Matt. "Our final runner of the night, it's Hal Jordan, who turned in the fastest time in qualifying and looks to do so again tonight." _

_Samantha was shown clapping as she watched nervously. "And there's Samantha Dean," said Black Canary. "And if she looks nervous, it's because she is. She's on the bubble right now in the 15__th__ position."_

"_That's right," continued Akbar. "She fell at the Rumbling Dice, but if Hal Jordan can get there in a faster time or beat the Rumbling Dice, he will knock Samantha out of the Top 15."_

_Jill, Kris, and Dan were walking alongside the course, cheering him on as the timer sounded. "And, here we go, once again bounding through the Quintuple Steps, and right down the Utility Pole Slider."_

"_Here he goes, sprinting across the Bridge of Blades!" cried Akbar. "And right into the Rope Swing!"_

"_Hal showing the same fearlessness he did in qualifying," began Dinah as Hal got the second rope. He then leaped for the net, got it, and quickly made it to the platform. "And he's already at the Ring Toss!"_

"_Look at this, he's just killing the Ring Toss!" exclaimed Akbar as Hal quickly made his way to the third plank, swinging and reaching the platform. He then sprinted up the Warped Wall. "I hope Jordan isn't taking these obstacles for granted, because he's still got four more to go."_

"_Here he is on the Salmon Ladder," said Matt. "And right up it! And now, he's at the Rumbling Dice." As Samantha applauded, Matt continued, "And with that, Hal Jordan is moving on to Las Vegas, he has bumped Samantha Dean out of the Top 15, but he is not done."_

"_Taking big swings now as he tries to get it moving down the track," said Black Canary. Hal was swinging side-to-side as hard as he could to get the die rumbling. However, about three-fourths of the way across…_

"_UNBELIEVABLE, HE BROKE THE RUMBLING DICE! AND JORDAN IS HUNG UP!" screamed Matt as Jill and Kris gasped._

"_Hal!" cried Dan in worry for his friend._

"_Now what's he going to do?" asked Canary in concern._

"_Aw, man, he is in no-man's-land!" cried Akbar as Hal began swinging for the dismount._

_Matt continued, "Going for the dismount and he got it!"_

"_Wow," said a breathless Akbar. "He just pulled a Joe Moravsky!"_

"_And look, is he actually taunting the Rumbling Dice?" asked Dinah._

_Hal turned and pointed to the die, yelling, "YOU ALMOST HAD ME! YOU ALMOST HAD ME!"_

"_And Hal Jordan, now moving on to Rolling Steel and flies through it!" continued Matt. "This is an unbelievable performance, and now, he faces the Spider Climb."_

"_Mt. Midoriyama, get ready, because Hal Jordan is coming for you!" announced Akbar as Hal flew up the Spider Climb! "WHAT?"_

"_And Hal Jordan has done it!" cried Matt. "He has punched his ticket to Las Vegas with the fastest time of the night, and, Akbar, Dinah, we could be looking at the first American Ninja Warrior."_

"_It's a very real possibility," agreed Dinah. "But if history is any indication, the course will have something to say about that."_

"_Let's go down to Jenn Brown, who is with a triumphant Hal Jordan."_

"_Hal, you dominated the course, you turned in the fastest time again, and you destroyed our Rumbling Dice," began Jenn. "What was going through your mind when that happened?"_

"_I don't even know how it happened," answered Hal. "I mean, I was swinging from side-to-side as hard as I could, just trying to get the d*** thing moving, and the next thing I know, I'm off the track."_

"_I gotta ask,…were you scared?" Clearly, Jenn was teasing him._

"_Well, I was certainly surprised," admitted Hal. "Does that count?"_

"_That's up for debate, but what is not debatable is you have punched your ticket to Mt. Midoriyama. We will see you in Las Vegas."_

"_YEAH!" cried Hal with a fist pump before turning to Jill for a kiss and slapping high-five with Dan._

"_And with that, the Venice City Finals comes to a close," said Matt. "We had 13 finishers, lead by Hal Jordan, who turned in the fastest time of the night." _

_Akbar added, "Other finishers include Tommy Oliver, 'The Godfather' David Campbell, Kevin Bull, and Power Angels Jill Munroe and Sabrina Duncan." _

_Dinah continued, "Tommy Oliver's wife Kimberly didn't finish the course, but her time was good enough to place 14__th__, making them the first married couple to move on to the National Finals. And rounding out our Top 15 is Andrea Thomas. We'll see these 15 athletes and more in a few weeks when we move on to the Nationals Finals in Las Vegas."_

"_Next week, we head back to Dallas," said Matt. "There, we'll see Diana Prince, the Batman, the Hardy brothers, Frank and Joe, Sam Sann, as well as the sweetheart couple of American Ninja Warrior, Brent Steffensen and Kacy Catanzaro. For Akbar Gbaja- Biamila, Jenn Brown, and Black Canary, I'm Matt Iseman. And we'll see you next time, on American Ninja Warrior!"_

**Next Time: Dallas Finals**


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